The basics - control

Before learning how to drive a performance car on the limit, it's important to have a good grasp of car control. To master this art you need practice….in your own car….on a stretch of tarmac or track you know well. Alternatively book a track day or driving experience with a racing or rally instructor. Every car has different properties and behaves differently on the limit. It's a very rare talent to be able to jump into a new car and drive it well.

The key here is smoothness. A car driven by a smooth driver does not experience the rapid peaks of force which could be caused by, for example, rapid steering or braking inputs.

If you're driving a car through a corner at 99% of it's limit, a rapid stamp on the brakes will certainly cause you to lose control (ABS can't help you if you're going sideways!). In fact even a small press on the brakes, or even lifting off the throttle could unsettle the car enough to lose traction. This isn't the end of the world on a track, but not so fun on the road.

So, you can either drive the car at 70% leaving you room for nasty gear changes, or you can drive at 80% and concentrate on smooth steering, braking, acceleration and gear inputs, and still leaving room for error. Once you've mastered this art, you can progress to competitive racing speeds.