Drifting is a driving technique where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels or all tires, while maintaining control for the entirety of a corner. It is caused when the rear slip angle is greater than the front slip angle, to such an extent that often the front wheels are pointing in the opposite direction to the turn. As a motoring discipline, drifting competitions were first popularized in 1970s Japan. Today they are held worldwide and judged according to speed, angle, showmanship, and line taken through a corner or set of corners.Photograph: Rowan Harrison