What sets these cars apart is the use of stupidly tight limited-slip differentials and a significant amount of anti-squat rear suspension geometry. Rumors have it that pro drifters are now even secretly switching to 1.5-way limited-slips instead of the super-touchy two-way diffs that often upset a car mid-drift on lift throttle. Anti-squat and tight diffs are really the secret to making these cars driftable, as it allows drivers to shock the tires into breaking loose, initiating a drift, while still maintaining a natural-handling car mid-drift and in transitions. The drawback is heavy understeer at corner entry on account of the tight diff and reduced corner exit grip from the increased anti-squat.
While the same laws of physics still apply, drifters play the game another way. It's still a balancing act with weight transfer management, but the friction circles between the front and rear are totally different. Instead of using a tire's quasi-static friction (or mechanical grip) as you're supposed to, the rear tires (which are now spinning constantly) have a much lower dynamic friction factor. The balancing point is now shifted toward the rear, since more weight has to be planted to keep the car neutral.
Initiating a drift turns out to be the hard part. It's the gateway to get from one balancing point to the other. While there are lots of ways to initiate a drift, it revolves around two key concepts: breaking the rear tires loose by excessive weight transfer to the front and inducing oversteer, or shocking the rear tires to exceed what mechanical grip is available. Pros actually blend the two together seamlessly, while beginners give it too much or too little, resulting in endless spins or tire-howling push. Remember, you have to catch the wave before you can learn to surf.
Hiro's 10 rules for drifting
1. Keep it off the streets. It's a Catch-22, but if you're drifting on the street, you probably aren't good enough to have 100 percent control. If you are, why risk it on the street? Learn at drift events with proper instruction and input.
2. Get a tight LSD. While it's an expensive investment, controlled drifting really involves a limited-slip differential. Without it, drifting becomes a matter of mildly controlled slides.
3. Look ahead. Just like in road racing, where you look is where you go. As an addendum to that, don't look at the wall.
4. Keep your hands relaxed. Once in a drift, physics will take over and want to straighten out the car or bring it to a stop. Keeping your hands relaxed allows the car to do its thing, as well as communicate to the driver what it's about to do.
5. Catch it before it happens. If you're looking ahead and planning your next move, as well as feeling what the car is going to do, you will always be one step ahead of physics. That way, when you initiate a transition or a drift, you are already moving to start catching the drift.
6. Warm up. Every day at every track is different. Just because you drifted it before doesn't mean it's the same. Take your time and warm up your tires and mind.
7. Smooth as glass. If you ride with a pro, you'll realize that drifting isn't an exercise in panic driving. Smooth throttle and steering inputs are key to maintaining a drift and avoiding spins. Fast inputs just upset the car.
8. Follow through. Now you've initiated and can hold a slide, ending a drift is just as important. Like tennis, following through and ending a drift in a smooth fashion contributes much to the drift itself.
9. Don't be afraid of the e-brake. Yanking on the e-brake is probably the easiest way to initiate a drift and control your speed while in it. Use the e-brake like you mean it and yank it hard to initiate. Use it lightly to adjust your speed and yaw as you come to a clipping point (apex for everyone else in motorsport).
10. Pray.