Watching some F1 races, even when the section of track is a long straight, why do all the drivers drive a curve line? Isn't it more distance to cover and cost more time?
Most of the time they deviate the line very slightly only like the blue line in the image below. Why not straight line like the red line?
Is it because by approaching the next turn at a slight they are able to complete some lateral load transfer even before turn in point and so at turn in the response is more instant?
Watching the Indy 500, the drivers do this a lot more down the front straight. It is done to much higher degree so there must be a different reason. Is it the gradient of the track at Indianapolis? Or aerodynamic reason?