What Is a Derrape (Slide)? Meaning and Drift Difference

Frequently asked questions

What does 'derrape' (slide) mean?

A slide (derrape) means the tires lost grip and the car slides instead of tracking. It can be involuntary (rain, hard braking, gravel) or provoked on purpose. The sporting version — controlled and sustained — is what the world knows as drift.

Are slide and drift the same?

Not exactly. 'Slide' is the general term for any time a car slides, accidental or intentional. Drift is a specific type of slide: sustained, controlled and held at an angle on purpose through a whole corner. All drift is a slide, but not all slides are drift.

What do I do if my car slides on the street?

Ease off the throttle smoothly, avoid slamming the brakes, look where you want to go and steer in that direction (counter-steer). When the car straightens, bring the wheel back to center so it does not swing the other way. That reaction can be trained: in a class you practice it on purpose, on a closed circuit.

What does powerslide mean?

A powerslide is a slide provoked with the throttle: you hit the gas in a rear-wheel-drive car, the rear wheels spin and the back end swings out. It is usually a short, one-off maneuver. If you hold it and link it with control, you move into drift territory.

What is the difference between powerslide and drift?

It is about continuity and control. A powerslide is a moment — a short slide provoked with power. Drift is a sustained sequence: you keep the car sideways, with angle and line, through a whole corner or several, constantly balancing throttle and counter-steer.

Is a spin or a donut drift?

No. A spin (trompo) is the car rotating out of control on itself (usually a mistake). A donut is spinning in a tight circle over one point, controlled but without following a path. Drift is control in motion along a line. They share the oversteer root, but they are different things.

Do I need to know all this before a class?

Not at all. You understand it far better in the car than reading about it. You start slow with the instructor riding shotgun, first feel the powerslide and then learn to hold it until you reach drift. Many students manage their first controlled slides the same day.