With GulfRun 5 coming up, I’m sure many of you are honing your driving skills and getting ready to claim the title against the clock… and against the other drivers (of course).
As we all know, the most successful drivers are the ones who are able to master the driving line in as smooth a manner as possible. Of course, when taking a turn or bend at high speeds, it’s always possible that the tail of your car will give out. What could this be? Oversteer.
Tires, like everything else, do have their limits. There is only so much traction they can provide. Does this mean that once your car develops oversteer or a tail happy sensation, you can’t secure an optimal lap time? No. If mastered, oversteer can play an integral role in your track driving, instilling confidence as you push the limits of your car on every turn.
Some things you’re doing which may cause oversteer:
- Heavy on the accelerator pedal through a corner
- Suddenly lifting off the accelerator pedal on a corner
- Heavy braking during a corner
To control oversteer:
- Always keep the steering pointed in the direction you want the car to go in; also known as countersteering
- Avoid too little and too much steering input otherwise you will spin the car
- Manage your throttle input wisely
At the end of the day guys, it’s really all about practice, practice and even more practice. But please, keep it on the track.
Stay tuned! Pun intended.
elwehbi@brakebanzeen
This post was written by guest blogger, El Wehbi, from the automotive blog Brake Banzeen! To read more of his work, visit http://brakebanzeen.wordpress.com.
aaa
Oct 13, 2009 -
nice post, i like the way you put how to counter the oversteer. next up is understeer!
elwehbi
Oct 13, 2009 -
yes sir! you are correct… understeer up next!
hamed
Oct 13, 2009 -
thats some pritty sweet info right there
bu ziad
Oct 13, 2009 -
nice post el wehbi.
i also like the pic.. brings back good memories 😉
elwehbi
Oct 14, 2009 -
thanks hamed!
elwehbi
Oct 20, 2009 -
Mashkoor bu ziad! Gotta love the E30 M3!
GulfRun » Blog Archive » GulfRun post: Technique: Understeer
Oct 27, 2009 -
[…] as my last post was on the topic of oversteer, it would only be fitting to follow up with a post on understeer. So get your note pads out and […]