How To: power-on understeer

Oversteer scares passengers. Understeer scares drivers.

There are two primary ways to experience understeer, heavy braking and heavy acceleration. Under heavy braking, the tires are using all their grip for braking, and there’s none left for steering. This is a pretty common occurrence when people try to steal an apex and then realize there isn’t room to pull it off. Less common is power-on understeer.

If you want to replicate the driving above, start by taking an early apex line and maintain enough speed that your front tires are sliding. Maintain throttle. Whatever you do, don’t lift. Lifting will transfer the weight to the front of the car, add grip, restore steering, and ruin the fun.

Watch it again, this time looking for the paint on the wall. It’s like a magnet pulling the car to its doom.


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