How to Perform Drifting?
3 Answers
During straight-line driving, sharply applying the brakes and then turning the steering wheel, or sharply braking during a turn, can cause the car to drift. Safety of Drifting: Car drifting is essentially a driving state where the vehicle is on the edge of being out of control. Even experienced drifters can make serious mistakes, so for those who want to learn, it is strongly recommended to practice in an open area, and you can place traffic cones on the ground. Vehicle Selection: For drifting, high horsepower is unnecessary. For any track or road condition, a horsepower between 300-550 is sufficient to meet drifting needs. If the horsepower is too high, the wheels are more likely to spin, making it difficult to control during drifting.
I've been practicing drifting for a few years, let me explain the basic operations for rear-wheel drive cars. First, drive the car to a safe open area, press the clutch and downshift to second gear before entering the turn, maintaining a speed around 40 km/h. When entering the turn, quickly turn the steering wheel while stomping on the accelerator to make the rear wheels suddenly lose traction. At this point, the car body starts to slide sideways, and you need to counter-steer to control the angle while continuously applying throttle to maintain RPM. Remember to subtly adjust your right foot between the accelerator and brake like dancing tango—too aggressive and you'll spin, too gentle and the car will straighten. Beginners should practice on wet or slippery surfaces first, as mistakes on asphalt roads can easily damage the undercarriage. After each session, smell the burnt tire odor—excessive tire smoke indicates overly aggressive driving.
I just tried drifting at the go-kart track last week, and it was actually quite fun. The instructor taught me a three-step process: first accelerate straight to about 50-60 km/h, lightly pull the handbrake before entering the turn to make the rear end slide out, then immediately counter-steer. The hardest part is controlling the throttle depth—it's like driving while stepping on eggs; a bit too much pressure and the car does a 360. It's recommended to use sport mode and turn off the electronic stability system, but for first-timers, it's best to have an experienced driver accompany you. I found that front-wheel-drive cars can drift too, but you have to force the tail out with the handbrake, unlike rear-wheel-drive cars where throttle control makes it more natural.
