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Originally Posted by jphughan
AWESOME explanation! Thanks for this write-up! 
I have indeed seen (and felt) red and instructor cars slide in the way you describe. I'm currently Yellow (and Yellow Solo for TWS CCW) and in my own driving I've gotten a glimpse of that next level. I can't do it in every corner or even every time in certain corners just yet, but so far running CCW the places I've been able to replicate what you're describing most often are Turns 6 and 8 -- and when I get it right, my brain goes like this: Wow-I'm-faster-than-my-norm-coming-into-this-turn-I-can-feel-all-4-tires-gliding-across-the-pavement-as-I-add-throttle-oh-my-God-am-I-about-to-run-out-of-track-on-the-exit-nope-phew-wow-that-was-so-incredibly-cool. 
The benefits and goals you're describing (sacrificing entry speed to rotate the car earlier and thus get on the power earlier and harder) line up with what I've read and been taught, but those places mention that a later-than-geometric apex is the way to achieve that, since if you come in too early you end up having to tighten up on entry when you should already be straightening out and adding throttle. "Earlier" as you mentioned above is of course a relative term and not to be confused with "early", but in order do what you're describing, it seems that on a simple 90-degree turn, the ideal strategy would be to square it off slightly on entry and then hit the apex a bit PAST the center of the turn (geometric apex). I found this page that basically describes what I'm getting at under the Late Apex heading: http://www.drivingfast.net/techniques/racing-line.htm.
So would an appropriate revision of your point perhaps be "whoever is earlier among the late apexers will be faster"? |
That link is way too simple. Take MSRH for example where the road is crowned. So if you follow that link's example in the carousel you'll either never get to the apex or you'll need to slow the car down a lot more than needed. It also ignores the fact that every time you turn the steering wheel you scrub speed. The late apex line forces you to drive further. If you turn in a little earlier and steer the car with the rear tires, you less steering input and you can accelerate earlier and faster while taking a shorter line.
Keep in mind that this is a technique. There are turns that are better late apex'd for certain reasons specific to the corner. Sometimes trailbraking is the answer especially when you want to carry speed after a straight into a corner. There are so many variables in a turn so it is anything but simple.
Here's a good video where you can really see what it looks like when the rear tire is sliding across the pavement.