Motorsports is often held up as the example to follow for everyday drivers, but that’s not always a good idea…

Five racetrack techniques that work on the road

1. Vision – the first thing every racetrack novice learns, and usually the root of most driving errors on the track. Look up and live, look a long way ahead..really does help with anticipating what’s happening in traffic.
2. Judicious use of accelertor – knowing that accelerating while turning often leads to disaster, and that you generally want to be unwinding the steering lock as you accelerate. And, being smooth!
3. Weight transfer and smoothness – even if you’re not at the limit, smoothly transitoning the car from braking to cornering to acclerating keeps it as far as possible inside its grip limits, and is least stressful to all concerned.
4. Seating – being able to operate all the controls comfortably while your shoulders are well back in the seat so you have both comfort and control.
5. Steering wheel grip – holding the wheel at 9-3 (not 10-2), so you can control the car and it can tell you what’s going on.

Five racetrack technique that do NOT work on the road

1. Driving at the limit – never do this on a public road, it’s not safe. That’s why we have racetracks.
2. Driving too close to other cars – as above.
3. Taking the racing line – it’s not legal or safe in public.
4. Setting up the car – what you’d do to a car for motorsports is not at all what is safe or legal on the road.
5. Speeding – respect all laws, including speed limits!

Further reading

• Why I like driving in circles on Sundays
• How to brake
• How to hold a steering wheel
• What makes you a bad driver?
• Ace it with Audi driver training