Our discussion so far has dealt with how to get around a track as fast as possible. While it would seem that such a Line would also be the best route around a track during a race, this is not necessarily true. The winner of a race is the driver that finishes first; the clock is irrelevant as long as you are faster than everyone else.

The racing line is simply a modification of the regular Line to position you ahead of the competition. In reality, your line during a race will likely be different with each lap. The cars around you will be in different spots each lap, and your line will need to be modified accordingly. While the best line to take in a race depends heavily on each specific situation you find yourself in, there are a few general modifications to The Line that are applicable in a race.

The Inside Line
As you know well from reading my previous articles, a textbook-style line will take you gradually across the track from turn-in towards the apex. In a race, however, this line can prove problematic in certain types of corners. If the track is wide enough, there can be enough room for a competitor behind you to squeeze his way past you by taking an inside line. Even if you would have been faster through the corner than your competitor, if he squeezes in front of you, you are still behind him, and you lose.

It can therefore be beneficial to turn in and apex slightly early in certain corners. This effectively pinches off anyone behind you, forcing them to take an outside line to get around you, which is much longer, and therefore slower and harder to execute.

The Inside Line applies primarily in corners where there is more than one suitable line. These tend to be corners with lots of extra track in the beginning part of the corner. Turn 1 at NHIS is an excellent example of such a corner. There are two lines, an inside and outside line, and it boils down more to preference than anything else as to which line is faster or preferable. While qualifying, it does not matter which line is taken, so long as it is the fastest. In a race, however, if someone is right on your tail on the main straight and you take the outer line into Turn 1, they can take the inner line, cut you off, and pull ahead. Even if your outer line proved faster in qualifying, you have just made yourself slower than your competition by not taking the inner line.

In most cases, the inner line is effectively an early apex, and you need to adjust in the latter part of the corner appropriately. Turn 1 at Lime Rock is a good example of such a corner. Turn 1 is sweeping 180 decreasing radius turn. The racing line (which many argue is actually the quickest line), is to early apex the first part of the turn, slow down to make the turn-in for the second part of the turn, the power out of the second part of the turn.

The key to the inner line is managing where in the turn you ask your car to change direction. Ideally, you will ask your car to smoothly and steadily change direction throughout the entirety of the corner. With the inner line, you need to do more turning in specific parts of the corner, which will require slightly lower speeds at those locations. Adjust your speed accordingly. Remember, though you will be slightly slower through the corner, if you prevent your competition from passing you, you will still be ahead, and that is what matters.

The Outside Line
The outside line is when you pass a car by going around it on the outside of the line. You are at a double disadvantage taking an outside line because 1) your speed will be slower than your competitor taking the correct line and 2) you will need to cover a greater distance to get through the corner.

Thus, to successfully pass on an outside line, you need to be going SIGNIFICANTLY faster than the car in front of you. While not impossible (I saw an outside pass on a recent F1 race), the speed differential is usually great enough to make it too difficult.

Head for Daylight
Above all else, if something looks like it will get you by your opponent, do it. If you see an opening, head for it, strong.