Wet Track Day tyres

[snowy999]

All,

I had an great day of learning on Saturday at Spa. An epicly wet day (rivers on the track) on Saturday after a dry track day on the Friday, lots of rubber....

My Cup 2s - now getting on a bit - were like driving on ice and my instructor laughed as we drifted around Pouhon and just made Blanchimont 2 and the front end squirreled as we braked for Bruxelles.... I also had extra camber on the front and back c.2.5 degrees.

Result I was driving about 40-45 seconds per lap slower than in the dry last year and if I pushed on - I had an instructor for an hour helping me look for a wet line - out came the rear...

A week earlier I had done the performance driving day at CAT in Millbrook (thanks for people here for the recommendation), the grip was extremely good and we found it v difficult to get anything other than moderate understeer on the dry skid pans.....

What would people recommend for v wet track days as an alternative tyre (maybe I should just go with my mate's Panamera whcih loved the conditions)? I have a spare set of GT4 wheels and so planned to have something suitbale fitted and probably use them this winter too. I hear PS 4 S are good but no N rated rear for a GT4.

Anyway, most grateful for your advice as ever, even if it is as the instructor said ' aha a Cayman GT4 set up for the dry with older GT4 tyres, this is going to be tricky.......'. It bloody was....

All the best - Snowy

 

[Mike996]

Hi,if you have 18" get a set of touring car/GT wets. Lots around really cheap and you won't get anything better. Mike

 

[snowy999]

Lol the problem with the GT4 is that it is tough enough to get 19" heels on it. Someon in Aus has fitted the entire GT4 clubsport suspension so they can fit 18" wheels and tyres.....I was amazed how sticky the racing wets people were using on GT3s at the weekend.

Back to the real world - I was rather expecting an answer like PS4S or new P Zeros

 

[Brian_Innes]

From my wet track day experience I can certainly recommend 20" PS4S N0. My 718 Cayman GTS has the 20" 8.5" and 10.5" rims which ideally suit this N rated tyre. It's worth pointing out that non-N rated PS4S tyres have a very different side wall profile to their N rated sibling.

Another option open to you is to go for the Michelin Pilot Sport Super Sport. They are also good in the wet.

I hope this helps you decide.

Brian

 

[Steve Brookes]

Hey Snowy,

Sounds like you had a great time! I too have done the Millbrook handling day and have driven Spa in the wet. Like you I found that the car had amazing grip at Millbrook and needed lots of provoking to get it sideways. And that was in my old 964 and not in my present GT4 that has way more grip! But the GT4 (and 964) was a lot more slidey/twitchy at Spa in the wet. The simple reason for that being that racetracks, especially Spa, are a lot more slippy than Millbrook because of all the rubber on the braking zones which leaches out lubricants when it rains. Hence your instructor looking for wet lines for you.

Although Michelin PS4S are great tyres in the wet (I have them on my daily driver) I wouldn't put them on the GT4 because I think it would burn them up very quickly on a dry a track. Spa is notorious for being completely wet or completely dry on the same day. So I'd rather just keep the Cup2s on (obviously with plenty of tread depth) and drive accordingly.

 

[ChrisW]

I've just fitted my Pilot Super Sports for the winter.

Of course I've blown my hope of an extended warranty even if they are N rated on the CGT ??

Just kidding !

If P offered me a GT4RS would I have one ? Now there's a question

 

[snowy999]

Chris i thought you hd basically already created a GT4 RS!

 

[ChrisW]

Yes but ...

Irrespective of my independence I also respect greatly what P can do.

For example ... I own a very very nice original 996 GT3 MkI CS which is so tactile and fast enough ... but P had to create that. It came out of the blue following the 993RS which despite the new multilink rear suspension could be quite a handful when pressed. I found it harder to drive fast than the previous 964RS which handled like a go-kart by comparison.

Maybe the GT4 RS (at a GT3 price) would be another step change .... This costs, and I would pay them for that.

The days of such cars are very short ...

Which is in no way to underestimate the capabilities of what I have created with Porsches most valued partners ... but there will come a time when such cars become a technical irrelevance due to environmental issues which should correctly take priority.

The fact that the the very low number of miles for the very large number of smiles generated is thoroughly enjoyable ... will probably not be part of the viability equation.

Going further, it's a sorry possibility that one day it would not be inconceivable for artificial intelligence to deem the human race unfit for purpose, and virtually turn us off.

What will happen when manufacturers create virtual drivers to pilot race cars ? Any guesses on the lap times or the frequency of bodily contact ?