What is an apex? The clipping point, explained
An apex — also called the clipping point — is the point in a corner where your kart runs closest to the inside edge. It is the turning point the whole corner pivots around, and where you place it decides your exit: a late apex, just past the middle of the corner, keeps your entry straighter and lets you get on the throttle earlier, which is why it is the safe default for most corners.
4 min readThe apex, simply
The apex (British racers call it the clipping point) is the single point where your line comes closest to the inside edge of a corner. Think of it as the pivot of the corner: you turn in toward it, brush the inside kerb at the apex, then let the kart run back out to the exit. Most simple corners have one apex; long or double-apex corners can have two.
Early, geometric and late apexes
Where you put the apex changes the whole corner. There are three broad choices:
- Geometric apex — the exact middle of the corner. It gives the largest, most constant radius; best for long, fast, constant-radius corners.
- Early apex — before the middle. It feels natural, but it opens your line toward the outside on exit, forcing you to lift off just as you want to accelerate.
- Late apex — past the middle. You enter straighter, point the kart at the exit sooner, and can reach full throttle earlier. For most corners onto a straight, this is the fast one.
Late apex: a later turn-in keeps entry straighter and points the car at the exit early — so you unwind the wheel and go to full throttle before the exit kerb, carrying speed all the way down the straight.
Early apex: diving to the inside at turn-in feels quick, but the line opens toward the outside on exit — the corner runs out, and you have to lift off (or run wide) exactly when you want to accelerate.
Why the apex decides your exit
The apex sets the direction the kart is pointing as the corner opens up. Aim it too early and you are still turning at the exit — so you scrub speed or run wide. Aim it a little late and the kart is already straightening, so you can feed in the throttle and carry that speed all the way down the next straight. Exit speed compounds over the whole straight, which is why the apex matters far more than it looks.
How to find the right apex
- Look for the point where you can start unwinding the steering and feeding in the throttle — that is your apex.
- Aim to brush the inside kerb at the apex. If you cannot reach the inside without running wide afterwards, you are apexing too early.
- On exit you should just kiss the outside kerb at full throttle. Run off the track on the way out and the apex was too early — move it later next lap.
- Use one apex for a simple corner, and two for a long constant hairpin or a double-apex corner.
Mark the apex on your own track
The apex is easiest to grasp when you can see it on the circuit you actually drive. In ApexKit Lines you can drop apex markers on satellite imagery, draw the line through them, and compare an early apex against a late one before you are on track.
Frequently asked
What does apex mean in racing?
The apex is the point in a corner where your car or kart runs closest to the inside edge — the clipping point the corner pivots around, between turn-in and exit.
Where should the apex be?
For most corners that lead onto a straight, aim for a late apex — just past the geometric middle — so you can straighten early and accelerate. Long, fast, constant-radius corners favour a geometric (middle) apex.
Is the apex the same as the clipping point?
Yes — "clipping point" is the British term for the apex. Both mean the point where you clip the inside of the corner.
Can a corner have two apexes?
Yes. Long constant-radius corners and double-apex corners are taken with two clipping points: you give up a single perfect apex to keep a good line through both parts.