Drifting.

Georgie,

Do some searches on drifting. It's been getting big for several years, with Japan being the epicenter of its popularity. The cars are heavily modified to accomplish what they do.

 

Presuming a rear wheel drive car, lift-off oversteer then steering/throttle control. Braking into the turn also helps loosen the rear, it depends on the setup of your car. 'Drifters' tend to use the clutch on corner entry to get the rear moving, they stab the clutch pedal on/off to break traction. Same can also be achieved by left foot braking.

Avoiding the "snap-back" is all about feel. The car will initially slide quickly then the rate of turn will decelerate until the sideways velocity reduces to a level where the tyre can grip again, at that point if your front wheels still have lots of opposite lock on you fly off the circuit (outside). The trick is to adjust the steering lock in relation to the "slides speed". Worryingly, "Pro-Drifters" let go of the steering wheel during all this then catch it when they think its in the right place! To me this isn't driving/controlling the car and is just gambling.

If you lock all 4 wheels then the car will go where its momentum takes you in a straight line, you tend to spin to the outside of the corner. Ending on the inside is usually the result of steering input as the car slows during the spin. If you have ABS then this may effect where the car ends up, ABS and ESP logic has a hard time with a spinning car. Speaking of ESP, if you are driving a car with active ESP and manage to force it into a slide then you usually end up spinning or grinding to a halt as the ESP tends to take away your control inputs. ESP is intended to help people who cant really drive but hinders those people who can drive. A large number of modern cars with ESP do not have the facility to turn it off (even removing an ESP fuse is designed to stop major systems of the car not working to stop the driver driving without ESP).

As long as the car dosn't dig in (grass, gravel trap, hole, kerb etc) or break and you are driving a sensible Japanese or European car (i.e. not a people carrier, SUV, 4x4, Merc A-Class etc or a softly sprung American tank) then the car should just slide. Bear in mind that a big spin with locked wheels will instantly flat spot your tyres which may mean a new set is required...could be expensive, but try at your own risk.

For real drifting dont look to the UK, look to Japan...the land of 1000bhp Skylines etc. Where they have drift races (2 cars start side by side).

There is a trick to getting out of a spin situation but you need a high ratio steering rack (single seater/formula car or maybe a Lotus Elise etc) as you hit the lock stops with opposite lock the car begins to spin, at that point you flick the steering lock into the opposite direction and back. This momentarily increases the slip angles at the front and stops the car pivoting on its nose by forcing the front wheels to break traction or even counter-rotate.

I woudn't recommend trying any of the above without the correct safety measures in place at a professionally run venue and in a well prepared car that is designed to take it, all forms of motor racing are dangerous.