MONTEREY, Calif. — There are corners you drive.
And then there are corners you attack.
At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the Corkscrew is one of the latter.
With its blind approach, dramatic elevation change and steep downhill drop, the legendary section of the circuit has become one of motorsport’s most recognizable challenges. During the hillclimb, André Musi brought something entirely different to it: an Audi, sideways and surrounded by smoke.
The Corkscrew, sideways
Musi approached the hillclimb section carrying speed before throwing the Audi into the corner, breaking traction and sending the car into a controlled slide.
The rear stepped out.
The tires began to work.
Smoke poured from the car as Musi held the drift through one of Laguna Seca’s most demanding sections.
It was less about simply getting through the corner and more about putting on a show.
And at the Corkscrew, the setting made the spectacle even bigger.
The famous sequence drops dramatically downhill after the crest, with the circuit’s Turns 8 and 8A creating one of the most distinctive pieces of asphalt in motorsport. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca’s full circuit measures 2.238 miles and features 11 turns.
Precision in the chaos
From the outside, drifting can look uncontrolled.
From behind the wheel, it is anything but.
Keeping an Audi balanced while deliberately breaking traction requires precise throttle control, steering corrections and timing. At Laguna Seca, those demands are amplified by the elevation change and the blind nature of the Corkscrew.
Musi’s run turned that technical challenge into a visual spectacle.
The Audi rotated toward the corner, the tires fought for grip, and the car emerged from the slide pointed toward the next section of track.
For the spectators lining the hill, it was one of those moments that makes motorsport more than just lap times.
A different way to conquer Laguna
The Corkscrew has hosted countless memorable racing moments over the decades.
But the hillclimb offers a different interpretation of the legendary section.
Instead of chasing another car or defending a position, drivers can attack the course on their own terms—using the elevation, speed and character of Laguna Seca to showcase what both driver and machine can do.
Musi’s Audi fit perfectly into that equation.
Smoke in the air.
Engine noise echoing across the hillside.
A car moving sideways through one of America’s most famous corners.
One corner. One Audi. One unforgettable run.
At Laguna Seca, the Corkscrew already provides the drama.
André Musi simply added another layer to it.
The Audi came into the corner fast, went sideways, and left behind a cloud of tire smoke—and a scene that looked more like a motorsport photograph than a conventional hillclimb run.
Some drivers conquer the Corkscrew by finding the perfect racing line.
Musi found his own line.
Photography & Story: Anouar M. / The Production Nomad
Independent Sports & Visual Media
San Francisco, California
All photographs © The Production Nomad.