First off, I've got no idea if something like this has been posted yet or not, so if it has, 1000 apologies and a side of fries.


I read something quite interesting the other day, something I never knew. I always thought that drifting and power-sliding was the same thing, turns out it's not.

Let me explain as best I can:

Sliding: A state where the tyres lose grip and slide. Power-sliding is considered a controlled slide, is usually done with a RWD car and the direction the vehicle is traveling in can be controlled by throttle input and steering. Has little use in racing as the vehicle generally loses momentum. Mostly seen as entertainment, both to watch and to do.

Drifting: All four wheels have grip, but the angle of the vehicle as a whole is slightly different than the direction the vehicle is traveling in (resembles oversteer but with all four wheels having grip). Typically, a drift is characterized by the front and rear-wheels being at approximately the same angle, usually with the front-wheels turned in slightly more (front wheels turned into the direction of travel as opposed to opposite-lock in power-sliding). Direction of travel mostly controlled by throttle input alone, accompanied by minimal steering adjustment.This is considered as the fastest way around a corner and employed by many race-drivers in numerous disciplines of racing.


I don't have the more in-depth details of it (will try to get it), but it comes down to the "drifting" we hear so much about isn't drifting at all! If you're confused at this stage as I was when I read it, think of it this way: Tyres are flexible, therefore, the direction the wheels are pointing in and the actual direction the tyres are traveling in can be quite different at times.
Need proof? Drive on a stretch of road when the wind is really strong and you'll experience it- steering wheel is kept stationary, side wind catches your car and suddenly you're traveling more left or right than you intended without you actually changing direction via the steering wheel.

Also, almost anybody can perform a slide. Turn, apply some handbrake or if your car is RWD and has enough power, simply throttle it, and voila, you just performed a slide.

Drifting is a different matter altogether and something I personally haven't experienced yet. It takes extreme skill in order to master this art as you can probably imagine. Boils down to getting the balance of the car just right (weight transfer between the wheels, both front-to-rear and left-to-right) and steering the car via the throttle without losing grip on any of the tyres...


Interesting I hope?


Look out for some extra technical details soon.