Performance driving is often associated with race tracks, high-speed sports cars, and adrenaline-pumping speeds. However, the principles of performance driving can be just as valuable on the public roads. When applied safely, responsibly and within the law, performance driving techniques can enhance your ability to control your vehicle, improve road safety, and make you a more confident and skilled driver.
This article will explore the key aspects of performance driving for the road, focusing on how to use these techniques to improve your driving experience while staying safe.
What is Performance Driving?
Performance driving refers to driving a vehicle in a way that maximizes its handling capabilities, acceleration, braking, and cornering — without exceeding the safety limits of either the car or the road conditions. While the term is often linked to motorsports, performance driving principles can be applied to everyday driving situations, making you a more proficient driver in a variety of conditions, such as adverse weather, emergency maneuvers, or tight turns.
Key Aspects of Performance Driving for the Road
Vehicle Control and Balance
Understanding Your Car’s Limits: Performance driving begins with understanding how your vehicle behaves. Each car has its own characteristics — front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive — and knowing how your vehicle handles under different conditions is key to staying in control. Performance driving teaches you how to approach the limits of your vehicle’s handling without crossing into dangerous areas like understeering or oversteering.
Balance: To achieve smooth and controlled performance driving, maintaining balance is essential. This refers to keeping the car stable through corners and during braking or acceleration. Using proper throttle, braking, and steering techniques together will help you balance the car’s weight and maintain optimal control.
Braking: More Than Just Stopping
Threshold Braking: In performance driving, “threshold braking” refers to applying the brakes as hard as possible without locking up the wheels. This technique helps you achieve the shortest stopping distance in an emergency situation, giving you more time to react to potential hazards. On the road, this could mean stopping quickly when another driver cuts in front of you or avoiding a hazard that suddenly appears.
Brake Modulation: Knowing how to “modulate” or adjust the pressure on the brakes can prevent skidding and allow you to maintain control of your car while slowing down. This is especially important in adverse conditions, like wet or icy roads, where the risk of losing grip is higher.
Cornering and Handling
Smooth Steering Inputs: Performance driving emphasizes smooth, controlled steering to keep the car stable, especially when cornering. Jerky or over-exaggerated steering inputs can cause the car to lose traction or throw off its balance. On the road, this translates to taking turns and corners smoothly without over-correcting or accelerating too quickly.
The Line Through a Corner: In performance driving, the “racing line” refers to the optimal path taken through a corner to maintain the highest speed while minimizing the risk of losing control. While you shouldn’t be racing on public roads, you can apply the concept of the racing line to any corner by entering wide, hitting the apex, and then exiting wide again. This technique helps maintain a smooth, controlled turn, particularly on unfamiliar roads or sharp bends. Always be aware of other road users and never cross onto the other side of the road if its not safe or you can’t be sure its safe, paying attention to road markings at all times.
Throttle Control
Smooth Throttle Application: A key principle in performance driving is using smooth throttle inputs to avoid sudden changes in speed that could upset the car’s balance. Sudden acceleration can cause the wheels to lose traction, especially on slippery surfaces. On the road, this translates into progressive throttle application—smoothly increasing acceleration when merging onto highways, overtaking, or driving through wet or snowy conditions.
Rev Matching: While this is more of a skill used by drivers with manual transmissions, rev matching helps ensure a smooth transition between gears when downshifting, preventing jerky movements and allowing for better control during braking.
Vision and Awareness
Looking Ahead: In performance driving, you’re taught to always look ahead — at least several seconds down the road. This improves reaction times and allows you to anticipate potential hazards, such as stopped traffic, road debris, or changes in the road conditions. By scanning the road ahead, you can plan your actions, such as braking, steering, or adjusting speed, well in advance. This is a key element of advanced driving.
Perception and Anticipation: Performance driving also involves honing your ability to anticipate road conditions. Recognizing subtle cues such as road surface type, the behavior of other drivers, or the likelihood of slippery conditions can give you more time to react. Again, useful for both track and road.
Proper Gear Selection
Choose the Right Gear: Driving in the right gear for the conditions helps with acceleration and deceleration. For example, in a manual transmission car, staying in a lower gear during downhill driving allows engine braking to help slow you down, avoiding excessive brake wear. On the road, shifting smoothly and appropriately for speed and terrain can improve both control and comfort.
Handling Adverse Weather
Wet and Icy Roads: In wet or icy conditions, performance driving teaches you to be even more cautious with acceleration, braking, and steering. Gradual inputs and avoiding sharp movements help prevent hydroplaning (in wet conditions) or sliding (in icy conditions). The key is to drive at a reduced speed and avoid making any sudden or forceful changes in throttle or direction.
Anticipating Loss of Traction: Good drivers know that if traction is lost (due to wet, snowy, or icy roads), regaining control is often a matter of easing off the throttle, gently steering in the direction you want to go, and not panicking. This skill can help avoid accidents on slippery roads.
Performance Driving: Safety First
While performance driving can improve your skills and make you a more confident driver, it’s essential to keep safety as the top priority, especially on public roads. Here are a few safety tips:
Never Push Your Limits on Public Roads: Performance driving is about mastering vehicle control, not about racing. The road is not the place to experiment with extreme techniques. Stick to speed limits, and always drive within your (and your vehicles) capabilities.
Stay Calm and Alert: Performance driving can be mentally demanding. It requires constant attention to your surroundings, vehicle control, and road conditions. Avoid distractions, and stay focused on the task at hand.
Practice in a Controlled Environment: If you’re interested in improving your performance driving skills, consider our Millbrook Driving Course. Many race tracks offer driver education programs that teach you how to handle a car safely at speed.
Respect Other Drivers: Performance driving is about mastering your car, not competing with others. Always drive responsibly and consider the safety of other road users, adjusting your behavior for traffic, road conditions, and the weather.
Conclusion
Performance driving on the road is not about speed or thrill-seeking; it’s about gaining better control of your vehicle, improving your awareness, and handling unexpected situations with skill. Whether you’re negotiating a sharp bend, reacting to a sudden hazard, or simply navigating through adverse weather, performance driving techniques can help you become a safer, more confident driver.
By applying these principles responsibly, you can unlock your car’s true potential without compromising safety.