How to drift: The tricks of going sideways

After a quick sighting lap to learn the circuit’s layout, Bill ran me through the basics. In its simplest form, there are three main phases. First is the initiation, where you lift off the throttle to move the car’s weight forward, turn in with about a quarter lock on, and quickly stab and release the accelerator to initiate the slide. Then you need to catch the drift with a more sustained application of gas. Finally, you maintain the drift through to corner exit by balancing throttle and steering inputs. All the while, you need to let the car do as much of the work for you as possible. Sounds easy, right?

The reality is, of course, entirely different. Learning the steps is one thing. Actually executing them successfully is another challenge altogether. So rather unsurprisingly, my first few attempts at getting the Mazda out of shape resulted in me spinning almost immediately, which felt rather embarrassing given the low speeds we were travelling at.

I’d accelerate up to a mighty 23mph on corner approach, lift off the gas a car’s length or two ahead of the entry point, feel the weight shift gently forward off the rear axle, turn the wheel, feel the car begin to slowly rotate, stab and release the throttle to amplify the slide, miss the catch by applying either too much or too little throttle, and then either end up straightening up or facing the opposite direction. Frustrating. The MX-5’s short wheelbase made it feel particularly snappy, while my novice’s desire to be actively doing something with my hands and feet only exacerbated the inevitability of my failure.

Bill was incredibly patient. He gently reminded me of the importance of letting the car work for you and emphasised the need for patience when it comes to making your inputs. In fact, allowing for the momentary pauses between each step so you can really feel what the car is doing and tune into how its balance is shifting beneath you is just as important as the steps themselves.

After more practice, I’d become comfortable with the initiation phase and was set to tackle the catch. Here, the pause between the initial stab of throttle and its reapplication is crucial, but after a few more failures, I got my timing right and managed to power on through to the corner exit. Although there’s still a lot to think about in terms of balancing steering and throttle inputs, this final phase feels a lot more intuitive than the catch.

A quick break to let everything stew, and then it was back out in the 350Z to try to link a few slides together. Immediately, it felt like an easier car to manage. Its longer wheelbase made its rotational movement that much more progressive and easier to read, and the process of initiating, catching and then holding a drift came more naturally.

Now it was time to link a few slides together. This is the point where drifting really becomes an art form and also where you really need to ignore the urge to follow a classic racing line. The closer you get to the track extremities, the more room you have to initiate your next drift.

Timing and patience are once again key here. You need to stay on the power for as long as possible at the end of the previous drift, before lifting to begin the initiation process over again. The car swings like a pendulum beneath you, you catch it, and transition into the next drift.

I nearly completed an entire lap by the end of the session. Nearly. Given where I’d started out, the fact that I’d got this far in just a few hours was immensely satisfying and a testament to Bill’s impeccable tuition and saint-like patience. Nonetheless, he reckons it takes roughly four years or so of solid practice to be able to drift seamlessly like a pro.

But once you’re there, he said, the scope of your imagination really becomes the only limitation. Those drivers who aren’t afraid to be creative, who are willing to push the boundaries of their abilities and experiment, are easily the most exciting to watch. Just like any artist, really.