How to drive a Lamborghini
For those with an insatiable need for speed, supercar racing days don’t get much more exciting than commanding the wheel of ferocious Lamborghini. This world-famous car brand was named after its founder Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, the original models of this top racing marque were actually tractors made from old military vehicles. It wasn’t until Ferruccio decided to take on his biggest competitor Ferrari and create a superior supercar!
Since then, Lamborghinis have become as bullish as the one featured on their logo – both synonymous with sporting luxury and racing track success. In fact, Lamborghini has a huge number of impressive records under its belt, from being the only automaker to win the ‘24 Hours of Daytona’ in the GTD class three consecutive times, to also holding the record for the fastest organ transplant transport by car, travelling 489km in just over two hours at a speed of 233km/h in December 2020.
Here, we take a look at how to drive a Lamborghini, from Huracans to Aventadors. With tips on hand and feet positioning, braking and turning corners, this guide will equip every avid racing enthusiast with all the insider info they need to build up their confidence and book a spin around the track in one of the world’s most powerful supercars.
Hand Position
When learning how to drive a normal car on the road, one of the first lessons to be learned is that both hands should be at the ‘10 to two’ positions on the wheel. But when it comes to mastering the sheer power and might of a Lamborghini, the optimum hand positioning for maximum control is at the ‘nine and three’ position. This is especially true when driving at high speed considering a Lamborghini Aventador can reach speeds of up to 217mph!
Feet Position
Foot positioning when driving a Lamborghini is especially important as these supercars don’t have a clutch. Instead, all the gear shifts are found on the steering wheel meaning that drivers only need to use their right foot for the accelerator and brake pedals. As such, the left foot needs to rest securely on the foot support to achieve and maintain the correct balance.
While some may think it would surely make sense to use their left foot for the brake pedal while the right foot manages the accelerator, left foot braking is actually extremely technical and skills reserved for only very experienced professional drivers. This is because using both feet to control the pedals requires an awful lot of power and causes a huge safety issue if executed incorrectly, from tailspins to crashes. While Lewis Hamilton may have no problem with exerting the exact amount of pressure needed to brush the brake pedal to slow his supercar while simultaneously maintaining enough speed to keep his car balanced around a tight corner, an unqualified Lambhorgini enthusiast definitely will!
Braking for a Corner
One of the biggest mistakes a Lamborghini driver can make – from amateurs to professionals – is trying to accelerate when going into a corner. With supercars as powerful as these, an important lesson to learn is that the car won’t turn when accelerating before a big corner, which can obviously lead to quite dangerous outcomes. Instead, experts recommend that upon approaching the corner the driver should brake hard initially before slowly pulling off the brake pedal, rather than gradually braking or accelerating. This would mean that braking would be complete by the time the driver has reached the apex of the corner.
Turning a Corner
After braking for the corner, the hard work really starts – turning and coming out of the corner. As mentioned above, a Lamborghini can’t be steered when accelerating, so timing is critical to master the manoeuvre. After braking hard initially and slowly pulling up on the brake pedal, the driver should start steering the supercar by angling the wheel toward the tightest part of the bend when they reach the top of the corner. At this point, instructors recommend applying absolutely no accelerator or brake power and instead focus solely on steering and gliding the car around the turn. Then, as the Lamborghini comes out of the tight corner, the driver can then open up the steering wheel once more and begin accelerating onward as the car straightens back up on the track.