What is the correct way to drive through a curve (spirited driving)?

[JayG]

Originally Posted by thstone

Get your braking done before turn-in or trail brake if you know how. Heel and toe if you have to downshift. Corner entry should be at a constant speed and mid-range rpm's. Try not to brake in the middle of the corner as it will upset the balance of the car - better to enter the corner too slow rather than too fast. A late apex always helps corner exit speed. Maintain speed, turn in, let the car roll and feel the suspension set; then throttle steer through mid-corner. Get back on the throttle to accelerate out of the corner and start to unwind the steering wheel as early as possible as you begin corner exit. Don't forget to use the entire width of the lane/road to allow the car to track out (to the extent possible). All the while, be aware of sand, gravel, and other road debris that might affect grip and adjust your line and control inputs accordingly.

That's it. Easy breezy.

If you really want to learn drive well, go to a local trackday and have an instructor ride along with you. You will learn the proper techniques, go faster than you ever could on the street, and have more fun than you ever thought possible.

Originally Posted by Topless

This is a great thing to learn at a race track with a skilled instructor in your car. Once you really gain some cornering skill you will be far less likely to kiss a guard rail without warning, and wondering what went so wrong.

G forces are fun to play with so get some right-seat training.

What they said!!

Just spent 2 wonderful days at the track, way too much fun.

Check with your local Porsche Club or even (gasp) BMW club and see when they have a Performance Driving School or car control clinic. They are by far the best bang for the buck.

Autocross is also great practice for low cost and local.

As others have said, slow in/fast out and also slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
Best to be a little slower entering the curve in control than to be too fast and be out of control

OP, where are you located?

[Porsche Chick]

I tend not to slow down for curves unless they're around 90 degrees, then I will lift my foot of the accelerator. Grudgingly. And if it does start to feel a little loose, you want to direct the force forward by accelerating.

But I've driven two auto-crosses (and loved them) so I'm very familiar with what my car can do. I let one of the instructors run me through the course the first time, and it was SHOCKING I was scared out of my wits, but the car took it like a champ, with minimal roll.

So, yeah, try an autocross, it is entirely too much fun. :dance:

[JayG]

Originally Posted by Porsche Chick

I tend not to slow down for curves unless they're around 90 degrees, then I will lift my foot of the accelerator. Grudgingly. And if it does start to feel a little loose, you want to direct the force forward by accelerating.

But I've driven two auto-crosses (and loved them) so I'm very familiar with what my car can do. I let one of the instructors run me through the course the first time, and it was SHOCKING I was scared out of my wits, but the car took it like a champ, with minimal roll.

So, yeah, try an autocross, it is entirely too much fun. :dance:

just 2 autocrosses and will not teach you the limits of the car. You need way more instruction than that.

Do you understand weight transfer?, contact patch? apexing?, threshold braking?, throttle steer? to name a few....

[Porsche Chick]

Originally Posted by JayG

just 2 autocrosses and will not teach you the limits of the car. You need way more instruction than that.

Do you understand weight transfer?, contact patch? apexing?, threshold braking?, throttle steer? to name a few....

Hey, there's a curve coming up! Wait, let me go get my dictionary . . . maybe a chart would help . . .

And weren't you the one that just said "Autocross is also great practice for low cost and local.

As others have said, slow in/fast out and also slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
Best to be a little slower entering the curve in control than to be too fast and be out of control"?

Where's the contact patch in that post?

[JayG]

Originally Posted by Porsche Chick

Hey, there's a curve coming up! Wait, let me go get my dictionary . . . maybe a chart would help . . .

And weren't you the one that just said "Autocross is also great practice for low cost and local.

As others have said, slow in/fast out and also slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
Best to be a little slower entering the curve in control than to be too fast and be out of control"?

Where's the contact patch in that post?

LOL

All Seriousness aside

Yes, AX is great practice, just that only 2 wont teach you all about the car.

Definitely better to be a little slower entering a turn and accelerating out of the turn, than having to brake and possibly upset the car balance in the turn.

All of thet has to do with weight transfer, contact patch, apexing, braking and throttle steering, etc.

Here is a website that gives you a a pretty good overview of this stuff
TurnFast! Race Driving Techniques for Heel Toe Downshift, Driving Line, Cornering, Braking, and More • Driving Techniques

On top of doing AX, see if one of the local; car clubs does a driving school and/or look for a DE at a local track.

If you think AX id fun, wait until you do continuous lapping on a race track