Eli5: Why do race cars go high on straightaways and low on turns
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The most efficient way to travel as fast as possible around a track can be called a “line”. These lines include going from high to low into a turn, then accelerating as quickly as possible and allowing centripetal force to “sling” you out of the turn, allowing you to accelerate from low in the turn, to high when coming out of it.
I know this isn’t a super technical description, but taking turns as fast as possible, while keeping as much traction as you can, requires you to start from a high point before the turn. Once in the turn, you accelerate as much as possible while keeping that traction. Allowing yourself to come out of a turn and shooting for a high position allows that balance of acceleration and traction to happen as efficiently as possible.
I’m sure someone else can explain it better, but I hope it helps.
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