Trail Braking Explained in Simple Terms (Video)
Trail braking is essential for driving fast without falling off the road. Watch Team O’Neil Rally School break it down for us.
Whether you’re an old pro looking for a refresher or just getting into performance driving, Wyatt Knox from Team O’Neil Rally School is here to give you the low down. He’s demonstrating trail braking on gravel but, as he explains, it’s a technique for all surfaces.
When it comes to driving techniques, trail braking is often overlooked. There’s some kind of heroism attached to both rev-matching and left-foot braking, but once you’ve got your downshift smooth and your foot on the brake pedal hard, the real challenge is turning into the corner.
The first thing we’re all taught is to get our braking done before the corner, and then to accelerate out while unwinding the wheel. Lap times improve of course, but there’s still something else to be gained.
Like most important techniques, trail braking is a simple concept. And like most skills, it takes some time to master. We’re still braking hard in a straight line to slow down, but now we’re using the brakes past the corner entrance. As the car turns in, we ease off the brakes as we add steering. The aim is to keep using the forward weight transfer to keep the front tires loaded to maintain grip. That means we can turn in sharply while carrying more speed into the corner. Trailing off of the brakes allows the weight to move back over the rear to get ready to come back on the throttle.
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In short, it’s a balancing act. Too little pressure on the brakes and too much speed brings on understeer. Too much braking will keep the rear tires unloaded and induce oversteer.
But it’s not just about the track. Being able to turn in under braking can help avoid road hazards. And of course, for rally drivers, it helps to avoid falling off the road.
