Just found this photo too, look at the difference between Hamilton and the guy behind. Minimal shoulder drop and @tjkoyen favourite high hands position.
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Me and LewHam are basically the same person.
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I always find it interesting where people hold their hands on the wheel. I’ve always been taught to be a middle hands person, but so many people steer high up on the wheel.
I found everyones hands dropped lower when OTK got really popular (mid to late noughties). Probably a combination of the harder tires (mojos etc) and OTK just being very popular.
vs a 90’s hero.
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Thanks Luke. Very good insights!!! 
If I just got in a kart with not thinking about anything and just drove it, my hands would be in the higher position a la @tjkoyen and the Great Hambino. I’ve tried moving them down, and even when I feel like they’re super low, they’re only at about 9 and 3. Anything lower feels very unnatural, and I’m a shorter driver, so lower should be easier for me. Since we’ve gotten pretty technical already in this thread, I’ll go ahead and go there myself. The closer your hands are to 9 and 3, the more effect pushing on the wheel through the corner would have, as that’s where you will create the longest moment arm from your hand position on the steering wheel to the steering column, in the direction that you’re pushing, which is forward. Something to keep in mind regarding how hand position affects the handling of your kart. Steering wheel angle would also affect this as well. So while certain hand positions may be more or less “comfortable” for you, they are having an effect on your kart’s handling as well.
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To sum up my main rules for hand position/driving:
- Push the wheel, don’t pull
- Drive with your shoulders, not your arms
- Relax your grip
- Don’t move your hands on the wheel
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I just read a whole section about hand positions in @Terence_Dove’s book. I think I’ll just wait until our podcast to ask my questions. 
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Just curious. How with the shoulders?
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Instead of using your biceps or forearms to move the wheel, try moving your shoulders instead. It keep you more consistent in the seat and helps make smaller steering inputs. Biceps and forearms are too strong, they make it easy to yank on the wheel. Shoulders have less range of motion, so you can’t physically overdrive as easy.
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This is awesome advice, addressing one of the true fundamentals.
What do you think of the idea of a strip of Velcro on the back of the seat to help keep your weight there to the greatest extent possible ?
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This is just my personal preference, but I prefer not to force things artificially. So, velcro might serve as a reminder, but the point of keeping your back planted in the seat is mostly about using your arms to keep you pushed into the seat back… It is the physics of having tension in your arms that makes a big difference with speed of weight transfer across the kart… I think TJ mentioned that effect already. And Velcro could help you stay back in the seat, but you could forget your arms should be doing that work, rather than the velcro.
It’s a bit like how some teams attach zip ties to the wheel and cut them off leaving a sharp point, to force the driver to keep their hands in a particular spot. I prefer a driver to learn their own way and to feel the difference, rather than being forced.
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Dear Terrence Doce:
You rock.
Thanks for the scholarly reply.
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I’d like to call out the respondents here. This thread is a seam of solid gold, and unlike anything I’ve seen.
It’s not just the quality of the knowledge (and the selfless wellness to share) but also the quality of the writing. If there was an online university of kart science, you’re reading it here.
Thank you all, 3 bags full.
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That’d be ‘willingness’ to share I guess.
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I really enjoyed reading this thread as it progressed and even practiced some of the hand position suggestions in last weekend’s race. I was somewhere close to 8 and 4, but moved them up to 9 and 3 to find a little more control of the kart. Needed a little extra input, I felt, but it was neat trying out the different positions for myself to see what all the talk was about them on this post.
One thing I’m curious about, since I’m taller than most, is my knees. The kart isn’t long enough for me to get my legs all the way down, so my knees stick up and out a bit through corners. Should I be consciously trying to keep my knees tight against the fuel tank or can I let them flair out as I corner (as I have been doing)? There’s not much more room for me as the kart already has an extended porch and the pedals are practically touching the frame.
Pic for reference:
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The biggest problem with long legs is often drivers ride the brake without knowing it at all…I’ve also had a driver who was causing carb problems where his legs obstructed the air inlet!
It is probably worth trying to keep your legs in check consciously, until it becomes habit.
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I find the same issue, and I’ve never noticed an issue with allowing my legs to flair a little. I rotated the airbox a tiny bit to make sure I’m not covering it, but nothing else.
Like Terence said, just make sure you aren’t riding the brake at all.
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In my last weekend of race ( etown) I tried to use my body for the entire weekend and I ended up physically destroyed but very fast in KZ , 5th on 28 kz. See the picture 
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Well, that seems like a success to me!