What is drifting?

What is drifting?

Basically, drifting is getting your car sideways down a road. It doesn't sound very hard does it? Sounds a lot like power sliding (for all those who aren’t familiar with this term I have given information about it later on in this article) huh? Well it isn't. It's much more complex. Instead of a drifter causing a drift and then countering to straighten out, he will instead over-counter so his car goes into another drift. That is the reason many drifters do it in the mountains, because there are many sharp turns strung together. So in essence, a good drifter has the ability to take five or six opposing turns without having traction at any point in time.

In technical terms, drifting refers to the difference in slip angle between the front and rear tires of a car. When the rear wheels are slipping at a greater angle than the front wheels, the car is drifting, or oversteering. The rear end of the car appears to chase the front end around a turn, the driver utilizes both front tires and the rear tyres to control the actual direction of the car. More throttle induces more rear wheel slip angle and the rear of the car wants to overtake the front. The goal is for the driver to achieve steering lock and use the throttle to fine tune the car's angle and direction.

Drifting is a driving style distinguished by oversteering into and completely through the corners. This is usually done with FR (front-wheel-drive) layout vehicles, as the power and weight distibution characteristics on these cars are ideal for the maneuver. Drifting may be done informally for fun, in a formal setting where the goal is a mix of fun and building skills for improved car control, or in competitive motorsports. Competitive drifting is a motorsport rated on style, rather than speed around a track or position in a group of cars. Overall performance is judged on four factors: cornering angle, line, speed and excitement/style.

Drifting is not the fastest way around a racetrack. Drifting is useful in rallying, but in circuit racing is slower than conventional techniques.