How To Drift For Beginners | Drifting 101

October 2, 2019October 9, 2019 The Mechanic Doctor Drifting, How to, racing

You probably have already experienced such a situation: a slippery road, you accelerate when approaching a turn and, suddenly, the rear of your vehicle picks up. In a tenth of a second, an adrenaline rush goes through your body. Some people freeze, others apply the brakes as hard as they can. Not knowing how to react and what to do in a similar situation and you’ll lose control of the car. More experienced drivers would quickly countersteer – right after pointing their eyes in the direction that they want the car to take – dosing the accelerator just right and steer out of the curve in perfect control. Imagine the sensation, on a track, in constant drift, at the limit of losing control, taking the curves sideways at more than 120km / h!

But before entering the track, it must be understood that drifting rests on a fragile balance between weight transfer and delicate control belonging to a single law: the law of physics. With a bit of practice, one learns to know his limits, and that of his car, so as never to exceed them.

Here are the most frequently used drifting techniques by professional drivers. It is important to specify that most of these techniques were created for RWD cars. However, some techniques may also apply to FWD and AWD cars.

Heel and toe

This technique is commonly used in racing to allow the driver to brake and downshift at the same time while synchronizing the engine’s rpm with the transmission. Braking transfers the weight of the car forward, reducing grip on the rear wheels. Shifting to a lower speed suddenly increases engine speed and rear-wheel power, allowing them to turn faster and enter the curve while drifting. It is also important to synchronize the engine revolution according to the speed required to prevent unnecessary stress to the transmission’s internal components. Moreover, this technique can be used every time you downshift, even in everyday situations, to reduce clutch wear.

1. Enter the curve from the outside to the inside.

2. Brake before the curve to transfer the mass of the vehicle forward.

3. Turn the wheels toward the inside of the curve.

4. Depress the clutch, downshift but do not release the clutch immediately.

5. While the tip of the right foot is still on the brake, slide your heel onto the gas pedal to apply pressure to the accelerator. The goal is to reach the same engine speed as it would reach by downshifting at this speed. (You must, of course, have tried it several times to know how your transmission reacts.)

6. When the engine’s rpm is synchronized, release the brake, release the clutch and depress the accelerator.

7. Slightly countersteer toward the outer edge of the curve when you feel the back of the car regain traction.

8. Press or release the gas pedal for more or less angle.

9. Gradually return the steering wheel to the center position at the end of the curve while gradually releasing the accelerator to regain traction.

Shift lock

This technique is similar to the heel and toe technique, but instead of synchronizing the engine’s rpm with the transmission, we let the speed difference deliberately slow down the rear wheels to lose grip.

1. Brake a little before the curve to transfer the vehicle’s weight forward.

2. Turn the wheels toward the inside of the curve.

3. Depress the clutch, shift down quickly and release the clutch.

4. High-speed engine compression will slow down the rear wheels, creating a hand brake effect. The rear wheels will lose grip.

5. Steer toward the outer side of the curve when you feel the back pick up.

6. Press or release the gas pedal for more or less angle.

7. Gradually return the steering wheel to the center position at the end of the curve while releasing the accelerator to regain traction.

Powerover

This technique uses the sheer power of the engine to make the rear wheels lose traction. It is, of course, necessary to have a powerful enough engine to perform this technique on a dry surface, but it is quite easy to do on snow, ice or a wet surface with any RWD car.

1. Start from the outside of the curve to the inside and suddenly turn the wheels inwards.

2. Floor the gas pedal to create oversteering.

3. When you feel the back of the car start to lose traction, countersteer towards the outside of the curve. The car will follow the direction where the wheels are pointing.

4. Hold the gas pedal until the end of the curve. By releasing it prematurely or braking, you risk losing control of the vehicle.

5. At the end of the curve, gradually return the steering wheel to the center position and release the throttle gradually.

Clutch kick

When the car is not powerful enough to perform a powerover, some drivers use the clutch to momentarily make the rear wheels lose traction. By disengaging the transmission without releasing the gas pedal, the engine’s rpm will suddenly increase. By releasing the clutch afterward, the high rpm of the engine will make the wheels turn faster. This technique is effective, but not frequently recommended because it’s excessively hard for the clutch, the transmission, and the differential. Use it only as a last resort.

1. Enter the curve from the outside to the inside.

2. Do not release the throttle.

3. Depress the clutch without releasing the throttle. This will quickly increase the engine’s rpm.

4. Release the clutch before reaching the red line. The rear wheels will slide and the car should start to oversteer.

5. Countersteer toward the outside of the curve.

6. Do not release the throttle, even if it seems to be a natural reflex.

7. At the end of the curve, gradually return the steering wheel to the center position while gradually releasing the gas pedal to regain traction.

The handbrake

This technique is probably the most well-known on this list, mainly because it is accessible to all, not just RWD vehicles. Most of you have probably tried it on a snowy street corner already. The same technique is a little less obvious on a racing track though, because you have to enter the curve with a lot more speed since the use of the handbrake will considerably slow down the speed of the vehicle.

1. Start from the outside the curve and steer inward.

2. Shift down or lightly tap the brakes to transfer the weight forward.

3. Shortly before the apex of the curve, pull the parking brake abruptly for no more than one second. Keep pressing on the gas pedal because it will be used to correct the angle of the car while you drift. If you have an RWD vehicle, it is best to depress the clutch pedal while using the handbrake.

4. Countersteer as the car starts oversteering.

5. Hold the gas pedal until the end of the curve.

6. At the end of the curve, gradually return the steering wheel to the center position while gradually releasing the gas pedal to regain traction.

Feint drift

This technique has been used for several years to address rally curves. It is very effective and is not too hard for the mechanics, provided you have a good suspension and, of course, a lot of practice. In summary, the technique is to lose traction on the rear wheels by performing an exaggerated weight transfer.

1. Before performing this technique, it is necessary to estimate the distance needed for the drifting maneuver beforehand. The distance depends on the speed, so I strongly suggest trying it several times at low speed until you reach the desired speed to drift the whole corner.

2. Before arriving at the curve, from the middle of the track, steer towards the outside of the curve. The suspension should sag from the inside.

3. Point inward of the curve when the suspension is compressed to its maximum. If you try to shoot before this time, the car will understeer. The movement from one side to the other should be fluid.

4. Just before the apex, when you feel the suspension starts compressing outward, depress the gas pedal. The rebound effect combined with the throttle should make the rear of the vehicle lose traction. FWD cars can use the handbrake rather than the gas pedal.

5. Countersteer carefully. The weight transfer can send you head-to-tail pretty quickly.

6. Gradually return the steering wheel to the center position at the end of the curve while gradually releasing the gas pedal to regain traction.

Jump drift

This technique requires the use of curbs and a fairly firm suspension.

1. Take the curve prematurely from the outside to the inside.

2. While speeding up, drive one wheel over the curb.

3. When getting off the curb, the rear wheels should lose traction and turn faster.

4. Hold the gas pedal and countersteer when the rear wheels lose traction.

5. At the end of the curve, gradually return the steering wheel to the center position while gradually releasing the gas pedal to regain traction.

Car drifting leaving a long trail of white smoke

Kansei drift

This technique is the favorite of professionals and should not be attempted by beginners. It’s executed at high speed and requires a powerful car equipped with an excellent suspension system. Since grip in a curve decreases with speed, a single deceleration is used to initiate a drift. This is one of the most spectacular techniques, as it is usually done by very powerful cars that leave a large trail of white smoke in their path.

1. Enter the curve at high speed, from the outside to the inside.

2. Turn the wheels quickly and release the throttle. Sudden deceleration should cause the rear wheels to lose traction.

3. Countersteer as soon as the car starts oversteering and floor the gas pedal.

4. Gradually return the steering wheel to the center position at the end of the curve while gradually releasing the gas pedal to regain traction.

Long slide

This technique is also done at high speed, but it uses the handbrake to place the car at an angle before taking the curve. It is a very spectacular technique, but the use of the handbrake slows the speed of the car considerably.

1. Enter the curve at high speed, from the outside to the inside.

2. At the beginning of the curve, when you begin to steer, pull on the handbrake no more than one second. If you have an FWD car, keep your foot on the gas pedal. If you have an RWD car, it is best to step on the clutch pedal while using the handbrake.

3. Countersteer towards the track and continue to press the gas pedal.

4. If the hand brake causes you to lose too much speed, the rear wheels will pick up faster than intended. You’ll, therefore, need to use the heel and toe technique to downshift.

5. Gradually return the steering wheel to the center position at the end of the curve while gradually releasing the gas pedal to regain traction.

Last words

Several other techniques derived from these can be developed by drifters. The enthusiasm and the diversity of the pilots adhering to this sport bring every year a new way of surpassing themselves on the track. That said, the main techniques that have just been explained to you will bring you to the point where only practice can help you discover your personal preferences and develop your driving style.