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TKART magazine Champion Advice | Davide Forè reveals the tricks for a perfect driving position
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DAVIDE FORÈ REVEALS
THE TRICKS FOR
A PERFECT DRIVING POSITION

Max Bernardi
09 May 2017
Adopting a comfortable and proper posture when you are at the steering wheel is an essential rule for driving fast in karting. Four-time World Champion Davide Forè reveals the details to keep in mind and the tricks learned in years of racing at the highest level
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1

THE SEAT

“When talking about driving position, the inevitable starting point is the seat. Its position depends on the chassis geometry and, therefore, every kart has its own specific set of measurements in order to make it work properly. With the seat installed, you can adjust the pedals. My advice is to always keep thesame “base” settings (seat and pedals), even when changing from one chassis to another, because that is the only way to be objective when assessing two karts.
When searching for the best set-up, you always need to start from the same driving position in order to identify the correct reference points right away.
The driver’s body must be tightly strapped to the seat, so that they feel at one with it. At the same time, however, there must be at least some movement to be able to drive the kart using the body, without neglecting the fact that comfort is also important. Foam rubber can also be used to achieve the perfect fit and it also protects the body from abrasions caused by rubbing against the seat”
Gold kart position measurements schema
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If the seat size is correct, the foam rubber used can be about 5 mm thick. It is usually be placed on the side that is subject to the most stress, which depends on the track, the number of right or left-hand bends and the condition of the tarmac.
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If the seat size is correct, the foam rubber used can be about 5 mm thick. It is usually be placed on the side that is subject to the most stress, which depends on the track, the number of right or left-hand bends and the condition of the tarmac.
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It is advisable to cover the clips and boltsof the cooling tubes and the transponder on the backrest of the seat. This is not really linked to comfort, at least for those who use a rigid rib protection vest, but more a matter of protecting the driving suit, which can be damaged by rubbing against the bolts and clips on the seat
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It is advisable to cover the clips and boltsof the cooling tubes and the transponder on the backrest of the seat. This is not really linked to comfort, at least for those who use a rigid rib protection vest, but more a matter of protecting the driving suit, which can be damaged by rubbing against the bolts and clips on the seat
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It is advisable to cover the clips and boltsof the cooling tubes and the transponder on the backrest of the seat. This is not really linked to comfort, at least for those who use a rigid rib protection vest, but more a matter of protecting the driving suit, which can be damaged by rubbing against the bolts and clips on the seat
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2

BALLAST

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“Another interesting aspect ... Thanks to the 170 kg weight limit of the KZ class , I only use 2 kg of lead, but the ballast needs to be attached to the seat in order to improve the set-up of the kart. My advice is to attach it to the left side of the seat in order to balance the weight of the engine on the right.
Alternatively, when there are lots of pieces of ballast, they can be attachedat the front under the seat. However, they can also be attached to the backrest if more traction is required.

Ballast should be attached firmly to the seat, perhaps with a little bit of some sponge to protect the seat itself. In terms of set-up, there is certainly no advantage to using rubber spacers to allow the seat to be more flexible”.

3

PEDALS

“As already mentioned, pedal adjustmentis crucial, especially for the position of the legs, since the correct angle avoids the ankles being placed in an unnatural position when taking the feet off the pedals.

For greater comfort, I put sponge on the sides of the pedals, which allows me to press down hard and, at the end of the day, avoid having pain on my little toe.
I also asked the Righetti Ridolfi engineers to change the edges of the pedals in order to improve comfort.

Height is also important: I keep them slightly raised so that the pedal is not at half-foot height, but closer to my toes. It gives me greater sensitivity and I can press down on them harder.

The heel support should also be adjusted according to the driving position so that it does not slip and, at the same time, can be used to press down harder when driving”.
To demonstrate how even the smallest details count, in order to improve his driving position, Forè also asked for a modification to the floor panel of his Gold Kart chassis, resulting in it only being attached to the central part of the front end, which in turn allowed the bolt where his feet rest to be removed, thereby creating more space for his heels to move freely.
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