You probably have an exciting life with a full schedule and little time for hobbies. You squeeze in the few moments of spare time you have by hitting the gym, going for walks, or driving your sports car on the highway. But there is so much more to driving than just getting from point A to point B. There is that sense of freedom when you roar away from home, listening to your favorite music with the windows down. With enough practice and experience, you can hone your driving skills and become a better driver without ever leaving your garage. The best way to improve your driving abilities is to drift drive – but what exactly is drift driving? Drifting is a technique used in racing where we intentionally enter a corner at high speed and intentionally accelerate or brake to induce oversteer or understeer. Sounds complicated? It’s not really. Let’s break it down further.
What is Drift Driving?
Drifting is a technique used in racing where drivers enter a corner at speed, intentionally oversteer, and then control the car’s exit with the throttle and steering wheel. Drifting is a fascinating sport that involves a lot of high-speed sideways action and is a great source of entertainment for race fans and spectators alike. Drifting requires a driver to induce oversteer by accelerating or braking hard enough to cause the rear tires to break traction. This causes the back end of the car to slide around, and the driver uses the steering wheel to control the direction and angle of the slide. Drifting is often misunderstood because people think of it as a jack-rabbit start-and-stop acceleration and braking while cornering. This is not drifting. Drifting is a way to get the rear wheels to break traction while cornering so you can control the angle of the slide and keep the car sideways if possible.
Why Should You Drift Your Car?
This may sound counterintuitive, but you should aim to break the rear tires’ grip while cornering. You need to get the rear tires’ grip to break so you can steer the car through the corner. This is called “oversteer”, and it’s a crucial aspect of drifting. You’ll notice that IndyCar and NASCAR drivers use this technique. Drifting is about controlled risk. The risk of skidding out of control when you break the rear tires’ grip is outweighed by the reward of being able to control the car’s direction through the corner. Drifting is great for refining your car control skills; it’s a very hands-on method of learning how to handle your car. Drifting is also a great way to get yourself out of a sticky situation in your car, such as when your tires are slightly under-inflated. Drifting is also a great way to learn how to control oversteer in normal driving to become a safer and more confident driver.
How to Drift Drive Like A Pro
– Warm up the tires- You don’t want to start drifting in the middle of a corner if you get too cold. Warming up the tires using a technique called “drift turns” is a great way to increase tire grip.
– Use a higher gear- The higher the gear, the slower your car will be, which is exactly what you want when you’re warming up your tires. As a bonus, you’ll also be putting less wear and tear on your car.
– Use the handbrake- The handbrake is what will ultimately be responsible for getting your car to drift. Using the handbrake to apply light pressure on one side of the car will slowly transfer weight from side to side, which will cause the rear tires to break traction.
– Turn in early- This is the first step in initiating a drift. You want to turn into the corner before you reach it so that you can fully take advantage of the limited traction offered by your rear wheels.
– Steer with your hips- Use your core muscles and legs to steer your car through the corner. This will allow you to steer with one hand and use the other hand to use the handbrake and throttle to control oversteer.
Don’t be afraid of the Accelerator and Brake pedals
Initially, when you start drifting, you might instinctively press both the accelerator and the brake pedal. This is a mistake. You should always be pressing the accelerator pedal as hard as you can. This will provide the engine load necessary to trigger oversteer. The brake pedal should be used to control the angle of the rear wheel slide. When you apply the brakes, it slows the wheel; when you apply the brakes more, it slows the wheel more. This will allow you to control the angle of the rear wheel slide and, therefore, control the angle of the car’s slide.
Learn how to drift in first gear
Drifting in first gear is an excellent way to warm up your tires and get a feel for the car’s handling. You want to be able to drive in first gear at a slow speed so that you can control the car’s slide. When you’re ready to initiate a drift, you want to have a slow enough speed so that you can maintain control over the car’s slide. Most cars are capable of drifting in first gear, but not all of them are designed to be driven in first gear. If your car doesn’t have a low enough gear to drift in first gear, you can use a different technique. Simply put your car in neutral, apply the accelerator, and apply light pressure on the handbrake. This will cause the car to start sliding sideways.
Use drift turns to warm up your tires and improve grip
Drift turns are what you do after you’ve completed the warm-up phase while driving in first gear. Drift turns are a great way to initiate oversteer, allowing you to steer the car through the corner. There are a few ways you can warm up your tires. You can do a timed acceleration, followed by a timed braking exercise, or even a timed cornering exercise. The key is to push the car hard enough to break the tires’ grip, but not hard enough to cause tire damage. If you’re accelerating, you want to go into the throttle as hard as you possibly can. If you’re braking, you want to apply as much pressure as possible. If you’re cornering, you want to push the car through the turn as fast as you can.
Don’t forget to use your brakes!
This may sound counterintuitive, but you should use the brakes to control the car’s slide when you are drifting. The goal of drifting is to break the rear tires’ grip and initiate a slide. But what you want to do is control that slide. Drifting is a lot like skiing: you want to initiate the turn and then control the slide through the turn. When you apply the brakes slightly, it will slow the rear wheel slightly and increase the angle of the slide. This will allow you to control the car’s slide better. Drifting is a fantastic way to hone your car control skills and become a better driver. Drifting is a very hands-on method of learning how to control your car while cornering. Drifting is also a great way to get the rear tires to break traction while cornering so you can control the angle of the slide.
