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Why do drivers do installation laps?

Racing 101

Why do drivers do installation laps?

By RACER Staff - Aug 28, 2026, 4:07 PM ET

Installation laps are short, deliberate laps run early in a session – typically right after a car first leaves the garage/pit lane – to check that everything on the car is working correctly before pushing to real racing speeds. What are they actually checking? Basic systems functionality. Brakes, steering, gearbox/shifting,...

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