... handle a car like Andi Aigner

Rally drivers are considered the lords of taking it to the limits in car handling. In the following interview rally ace Andreas Aigner shares some tips and tricks on how to become a better driver – even when it’s not about a split-second reaction.

Andi, what differentiates a good driver from a bad one?

A good driver doesn’t cause any accidents.

How many drivers have as much command over their car as they think?

Most drivers are taken aback in exceptional situations. Even at a driver safety course, when the cause and effect are announced beforehand many of them are surprised. In daily street traffic, though, everything happens without warning.

What do you think is the biggest risk in traffic?

Definitely lack of concentration. Drivers who ‘devote’ one hand to smoking and the other to using their cell phones are a real danger on the streets.

Is there something that a normal driver can learn from rally driving – maybe specifically the ones who are seduced by you guys to speed on the streets?

No! Rally cars are made especially for racing and can’t be compared to a production car at all. In normal traffic you shouldn’t try to take your car to the limits; if you do that you’ll end up driving into a guard rail or a ditch quicker than you think.

What does a rally driver do when they’re on the freeway and encounter aqua planing?

Release the clutch, which is what anyone else in that situation should do. It’s very important not to turn the steering-wheel. When the front wheels find grip again and aren’t facing the direction you’re driving the car will turn uncontrollably. Even as a rally driver you’re a passenger during aqua planing and can hardly influence the situation.

The conditions get particularly tricky on ice or in snow. What to do when you just can’t steer the car?

Reduce speed – until you’ve got everything under control. When you’re driving on snow the car reaches its limits very quickly. The better the tires fit, dimension- and tire-pressure wise and the deeper the tire tread is, the longer it takes to reach the limits. When that happens it’s similar to aqua planing: the wheels lose their grip on the surface due to the speed.

"A tree in the side window = over-steering; a tree in the windscreen = under-steering"! How do I get control of an over-steered car?

Principally by countersteering. Essentially, it depends on each individual car and its driving system. Many drivers’ instinctively do the right thing in the first instance – that is, countersteering – but often it’s too much, which, ends in the car rocking and swinging and, not uncommonly, in a spin.

... what do I do when my car won’t turn smoothly?

The front wheels of an under-steering car lose contact with the ground and that’s why the car doesn’t follow the steering angle. When this happens you have to carefully ease off the gas put it in neutral so that the front wheels can make contact with the surface. But if you provoke a load change that’s too extreme, the back of the car will spin out temporarily and will change an under-steered car into an over-steered one. It’s important in all these maneuvers to stay flexible and calm and not to do too much with the steering wheel or pedals.

As a normal driver, how can you gently test the limits and manage it without causing danger to others when training?

The best thing is to do a driver safety course. They simulate many exceptional situations and the trainers immediately alert you to your mistakes. You’re able to try out and practice various things again and again. Besides that, afterwards when encountering such situations in normal traffic you’re less taken aback and better prepared to make the right corrections. That’s the best way to improve safety behind the wheel.

Let’s say I don’t have that sort of possibility. What exercise maneuvers can I do to improve my driving skills on an empty parking lot, for example?

From a certain point of view a parking lot is an alternative, but can’t replace a safety course. But on a lot you can at least try out how your car handles when you pull the handbrake and the rear end spins out. Winter’s a good time to try out the limits of your car on a lot; you can test out the basic tendencies of your car for under- or over-steering, or see what happens when you provoke a load change in a bend.

What does someone like you do who has a better idea of safety than most other drivers? Do you drive faster on the streets?

No, absolutely not! My private car isn’t a rally car and as I’ve already said, isn’t to be compared with one. I’d definitely be less taken aback than others in such situations but it’s no reason to drive faster. I’m always asked whether I train on the streets with my private car. The answer is clear and direct: No! That would be dangerous for both me and many others.