The ability to adapt is a primordial factor that has been present in the history of humanity since its origins. It is first and foremost a biological criterion discovered a few centuries ago. The adaptability of the human species has been a constant in its evolution for several million years and covers many fields other than biology.
Humans first adapted to their environment and then gradually adapted their environment to their needs. The long human lineage evolved mainly in response to changes in climate before beginning to domesticate nature through the development of technology. At the beginning of the 21st century, the limits of this appropriation raise crucial questions for the future of humanity. We will have to adapt to this!
Nevertheless, adaptability remains at the heart of our daily lives. Those who are able to adapt as quickly and as well as possible to a situation have the best chance of getting through it. What does all this have to do with motor sport and karting?
The introduction may seem a little long before we get to our favourite sport. However, adaptability is an essential factor in sport. What we call talent is undoubtedly linked to the speed with which one can adapt to a new circuit, new equipment, varied weather conditions, etc. The most talented drivers need less testing than others to shine on all circuits. To compensate for these differences in adaptability, it can be tempting, when you have the means, to spend your time wearing out the asphalt from one end of the year to the other within very specialised teams. This is a form of learning based on repetition, which can be effective even if it is costly.
There is, however, another approach, both more affordable and more effective, which is not emphasised enough in the education of young people. By appealing to the brain’s immense adaptive capacities from an early age, the benefits are far from limited to the sporting environment. It is a question of helping to train people who are in tune with a wide variety of situations and who can develop rapidly according to the changes they are confronted with. In the field of racing, this is an undeniable quality found in most of the great champions who are able to make a real difference.
Reducing repetitive experiences in favour of much more diverse practice may well be the best route to individual development. This can be an educational choice from an early age, but also a way to approach karting. Endurance races or one-make competitions help the driver to adapt to the equipment. The method of training on various circuits rather than trying to achieve the best time on one’s favourite track at the cost of hundreds of laps is within everyone’s reach. The policy of the Kartagene training centre based in Salbris, France, which will detect and train young people within a school, and the desire of the FFSA Academy to develop its juniors on one-design equipment, are just a few examples of this approach, which aims to enhance the qualities of adaptation. Everyone can follow the emergence of new talents, analyse their career path and form their own opinion.
Info Kartcom Selection