Cornering technique. How to change turns when driving on the highway and not only?
Content
Everyone will drive in a straight line. However, the experience and skill of a driver only becomes apparent when we see what his cornering technique looks like. They are an integral part of every route, therefore, competent travel along them significantly affects the overall comfort and pace of the ride. Moreover, with such a driver, each passenger will feel safer.
When driving a sports car on the track, skill is even more important in this regard.
How can you turn effectively and safely? Read the article and you will find out the answer from both theoretical and practical sides.
Driving a car along a curve - theory
There are many misconceptions about rally drivers. One of them is the opinion that their task is to pass the corner as quickly as possible. If you think so too, you are wrong.
While it may differ from an observer's point of view, turning is actually the art of compromise. The top speed for this maneuver usually ends badly.
Ben Collins, one of the best drivers in the world, in his book How to Drive? accurately described the whole process of driving on a curve.
Below you will find a summary of his relationship.
Watch the track around the curve
The queue takes place in three main stages:
- braking,
- transformation,
- acceleration.
We'll come back to them later in the article.
Before doing this, however, you need to know how to plan each of these steps. You will only do this after visually assessing the curve you are approaching. First of all, appreciate its sharpness and arc direction. Only on this basis will you plan how fast to enter the turn and what the track should be.
As you approach the braking zone, you keep looking. You constantly update the situation (for example, take into account the condition of the road surface and what is happening on the road) and act accordingly.
Finally, you press the brake pedal, then release it and turn the steering wheel. You follow the bend and follow the so-called extreme limit; vanishing point.
What's this
Ben Collins calls the vanishing point the farthest point on the road that the driver sees. Thanks to him, you can adjust the speed of movement to the curvature of the turn.
There is a golden rule associated with the vanishing point. It says that if this point is moving forward at the same speed as you are moving along the curve, when you are moving along the curve, you have chosen the right speed. Conversely, when the vanishing point is not “running” in front of you, you are probably going too fast and the angle narrows.
Remember that on the track, you always keep an eye on the horizon and prepare for the next turn before going past the current one. Thanks to this, you plan your path in advance.
Driving dynamically requires a sense of rhythm
Successful cornering depends on many factors, but according to Ben Collins, they all follow one main rule - rhythm. Rally legend says that if you learn how to properly tune your car before a turn, this rhythm will forever remain in your blood.
What if you don't?
Well, incorrect car tuning always leads to instability. As you drive through a bend, you will be fighting a car, which will of course affect your focus. Not to mention the passengers who, for the sake of their own lives, will quickly give up driving next to you.
Rhythm consists of many forms of behavior, including:
- making the right movements at the right time,
- uninterrupted operation of instrumentation,
- waiting for what might happen.
It is very much like a dance that you do in a car. If you dance skillfully, your partner (car) will be able to drive safely.
Interestingly, riders develop their driving plan based on the rhythm of the track. Thanks to this, they take turns almost from memory. This plan (ie, the racing line) describes exactly how the rally driver can achieve maximum cornering stability.
Technique of turning the car in 3 steps
We have already mentioned the three stages of going through each corner. By using them, you can maximize the potential of your tires in this challenging situation.
We'll go over each of these steps in more detail below.
- Braking - you launch them by moving straight ahead before you enter the corner. In this way, you transfer the weight to the front wheels, so you increase the torque and improve the performance of the brakes.
- Transformation - during it, it is best to take your foot off the gas and brake pedals. You slow down until you start to turn around. Then you switch to passive driving. The body tilts and the weight of the front wheels is transferred to the side wheels. The vehicle is under maximum centrifugal force.
- Acceleration – You will get the best effect by running them after straightening the track. This will reduce the centrifugal force.
Stick to these steps and you will be much more confident every step of the way. You will also be doing it much safer than in a situation where you randomly jump over all the pedals.
How to take turns in practice?
In theory, you already know what the cornering technique looks like. Now let's look at this from a practical point of view.
Thanks to this, you will know how to behave both on the rally track and on the state road.
Correct driving position
We have all learned this in our driving course, which does not mean that we should ignore these rules. It doesn't matter if you're driving a regular car on a state road or a rally supercar on a track - in both cases, get in the right position.
Above all, make sure you are sitting comfortably and can reach all of the equipment.
Adjust the back of the chair so that your entire back is supported on it. Move the seat close enough so that your wrists are resting comfortably on the steering wheel and your arms are bent at the elbows.
Check the distance to the pedals. After you press them all the way down, your leg should still be slightly bent at the knees.
Finally, adjust the seat height so that the steering wheel does not obstruct your view. Not too high, because your attention will be completely absorbed by what is happening in front of the car. At the same time, it is not too low, because your eyesight will have to be strained.
The ideal seat height allows you to control the situation in the car and in front at the same time.
Put your hands on the wheel
Imagine that the steering wheel is a dial. Keep your hands around nine and three o'clock. What's more, when cornering, you don't slide them on the steering wheel or cross them.
Are you wondering why?
Because you always know how to align your ride. Think back to the last time you maneuvered to see which direction the wheels were facing. It's not that uncommon, is it?
Now imagine making a similar mistake at breakneck speed on a race track. If nothing else, he will end up falling off the track.
There is another benefit to keeping the hands at nine and three o'clock. Namely - thanks to this arrangement, you do not turn the steering wheel too much. This is especially important at high speeds, when even a small amount of movement can cause a lot of wheel turn.
Optimal cornering path
You already know the three phases of cornering. However, you should be aware that the bend itself is also divided into three parts.
They are:
- corner entry (the place where you start to unfold);
- bend top (its inner part where it ends with a tightening),
- corner exit (the place where you fix the track).
You choose the path in such a way as to smooth the curve as much as possible. This means that (on the track) you enter it from the outside, you ascend to the top and return to the outside again.
No band limits
Remember that driving fast on a race track does not limit you to one lane. The entire track is at your disposal - no need to pay attention to asphalt lanes and traffic lanes.
You are limited only by the cones, which are located here and there.
Acceleration versus caution
The fast and powerful machine seduces with its potential. Even so, approach acceleration with some caution. If you sit at the helm of a really powerful unit and step on the gas, it will knock you off the seat and turn the car 360 ° around the bends without any problems.
You already know that you only accelerate after turning, but even then you do it gradually. Otherwise, there is a possibility that the wheels will lose traction, increasing the risk of an accident.
Focus on the road
Remember one simple rule: think ahead. If you only react to a curve when you are in it, you are doing it too late.
This may seem obvious to you, but contrary to appearances, not paying attention to the road is one of the most common mistakes newcomers make on the rally track. As a result, their response time is much faster.
So if you ever don't know what to focus on, look ahead. You can't go wrong with this.
Driving a sports car does not mean throttle.
When you get into a sports car, chances are high that sooner or later the thought will arise in your head to check its maximum speed. There is nothing wrong with that, but remember one thing: you are sitting in a metal cage that weighs over a ton. At high speeds, powerful forces act on it.
It is because of driving too fast that many drivers lose control of the car.
So (regardless of whether you are learning sports driving or you are usually driving a car) adjust the speed according to your skills. You start out gently and gradually accelerate as you master the turn in a smooth motion.
The instructor will support you on the track. On state roads, you have only common sense.
Sports Driving Technique - Summary
Braking, cornering, accelerating - these three phases of cornering must not be forgotten. There is also the rhythm that every rider needs to learn, and of course the constant monitoring of the track. Only thanks to him will you react in advance to what awaits you on the road.
We hope you find the information in this article helpful while driving.
However, remember that no amount of knowledge or skill can do as much for you as simple caution and discretion. In the end, it's not how you get into the corner that matters, but how you get out of it. Ideally, you should do this in its entirety.
