Q: “I’ve been told, and read a book that said that I should always begin applying the throttle at the apex of a corner. Is that true?”

A: Anyone who says that a driver should always start applying the throttle and/or accelerating at the apex — or before the apex, or after the apex — is wrong. There are far too many variables for a blanket statement like that. Corner radius, what’s before and after the corner, camber, elevation changes, power-to-grip level of the car, and on and on all make a difference.

Data from real world drivers (of varying levels, including some of the top 50 or so drivers in the world – Indy car, WEC, IMSA, NASCAR; sorry, I don’t have actual data from F1 drivers) and hundreds of tracks proves that there is no hard and fast rule that should be applied to when a driver should begin accelerating.

You may think that any advice that suggests the point where a driver begins to accelerate varies is “vague,” but there’s a real world and proven reason for it — “always begin accelerating at the apex” is just plain wrong advice. Maybe there’s a reason for it to seem “vague.”

I will also point out that the variation of when to begin accelerating can be very small, to the point where it’s difficult to even notice. But there is variation, based on different cars, different tires, different track conditions, and so much more.

Instead of listening to someone who says where you should begin applying the throttle, focus on testing how early you begin accelerating. If, after you start applying the throttle, you have to ease up, then you most likely started a bit too early; if you can go to full power without feeling as though you’re going to run out of track, then you should begin accelerating earlier next lap.

Rather than looking for a specific line, or point to either turn in or apply the throttle, I recommend you focus on what you feel.