6.2 GT3 R Spec Tyres of Choice

[Pork Chops]

In 6 years of ownership I've never treated myself to a new set but the time has come. Are the Yokohama AD08Rs the go? What else should I consider. For track only.

Also I'm going 245 on the front as my rims are slightly wider, and considering 305 or even 315 for the rear.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

Thanks.

[edgy]

Track Only? Whilst the AD-08 R's are a great tyre for the 6.2, they're only an S compound, but I do believe they can be optioned as an R now? Not sure on sizes though. 

I have tracked on Toyo R888 loads of grip, not too bad driving too and from the track either, certainly quieter than the A050's I have tried in the past. (if that is important to you)

[Pork Chops]

Track Only? Whilst the AD-08 R's are a great tyre for the 6.2, they're only an S compound, but I do believe they can be optioned as an R now? Not sure on sizes though. 

I have tracked on Toyo R888 loads of grip, not too bad driving too and from the track either, certainly quieter than the A050's I have tried in the past. (if that is important to you)

Yeah sorry I meant the A050. Duh! The R888s sound interesting as it's always nice having a little less R spec NVH especially if you're driving the car to a distant track or want to keep the rubber on the car for occasional dry road use. The Toyos also have the rear available in a 315 width for extra fatness.

Be interested in more feedback on the R888 as the Yoko seems to be the default choice.

[1q2w3e4r]

I've used the R888s and now running MPSC2's, quieter on the road and heaps of grip on the track.  I'd say they are faster as well.

[Pork Chops]

I've used the R888s and now running MPSC2's, quieter on the road and heaps of grip on the track.  I'd say they are faster as well.

MPSC2's in 18s?

[spiller]

I have used R888, Nitto NT01 and A050 on my GT3 on track.

NT01 1 second quicker per lap than R888

A050 1.5 second quicker per lap than NT01. They don't heat cycle out and provide grip until the belts show. I wouldn't bother with anything else basically. Much stiffer sidewall than both of the above, better feedback through the steering and more confidence to push in the corners. Can run them at sub 30 psi hot pressures too which I could never do with the R888 or NT01 as the sidewalls would roll around too much.

Hankook Z221 is supposed to be OK too but rumoured not as quick as A050. I'd assume they'd fall in between A050 and the others.

[Pork Chops]

I have used R888, Nitto NT01 and A050 on my GT3 on track.

NT01 1 second quicker per lap than R888

A050 1.5 second quicker per lap than NT01. They don't heat cycle out and provide grip until the belts show. I wouldn't bother with anything else basically.

Been waiting for you to chime in ?. On the mayo Kos you running M rear and S or M front? Traction Tyres we're saying they recommend S as the front is so light on the 911. Unless you're doing more than roughly a dozen laps at a time as they get too hot.

[spiller]

Been waiting for you to chime in ?. On the mayo Kos you running M rear and S or M front? Traction Tyres we're saying they recommend S as the front is so light on the 911. Unless you're doing more than roughly a dozen laps at a time as they get too hot.

I added a bit more to my post above.

 Currently I am running soft on the front and medium at the rear. Wear is very good, I might try soft in the rear next time I need new rears but I mostly do supersprints. A guy I track with reckons minimal difference in lap times between medium and soft, but that the softs just come in quicker, which makes sense. 

If you want to try NT01 I have a brand new set of rears (new old stock) in 315/30 and a lightly used set of 245/40 (full set) that I would sell cheap as I can't see myself using them up anytime soon.

[Pork Chops]

I added a bit more to my post above.

 Currently I am running soft on the front and medium at the rear. Wear is very good, I might try soft in the rear next time I need new rears but I mostly do supersprints. A guy I track with reckons minimal difference in lap times between medium and soft, but that the softs just come in quicker, which makes sense. 

If you want to try NT01 I have a brand new set of rears (new old stock) in 315/30 and a lightly used set of 245/40 (full set) that I would sell cheap as I can't see myself using them up anytime soon.

PM me your number and I'll call to discuss. Cheers.

[1q2w3e4r]

MPSC2's in 18s?

Yep, Pilot Sport Cup 2's on my 996 on turbo twist hollow spokes.  I've got a set of MSPC2's on my 997 as well, I've used the R888s and RE55's in the past from Bridgestone also (as track tyres) and Dunlop Direzza's on a variety of different things.

[edgy]

I have used R888, Nitto NT01 and A050 on my GT3 on track.

NT01 1 second quicker per lap than R888

A050 1.5 second quicker per lap than NT01. They don't heat cycle out and provide grip until the belts show. I wouldn't bother with anything else basically. Much stiffer sidewall than both of the above, better feedback through the steering and more confidence to push in the corners. Can run them at sub 30 psi hot pressures too which I could never do with the R888 or NT01 as the sidewalls would roll around too much.

Hankook Z221 is supposed to be OK too but rumoured not as quick as A050. I'd assume they'd fall in between A050 and the others.

Good info ^^

And that brings about another question; at what level do you want to drive? 

The alignment you will need to be optimum with the R compound grip levels you're talking -3-3.5* camber, it absolutely sucks on the road, but running any less and you will notice they R's scrub out the outer shoulders.... 

 

Its a slippery slope!  

 

[Pork Chops]

Good info ^^

And that brings about another question; at what level do you want to drive? 

The alignment you will need to be optimum with the R compound grip levels you're talking -3-3.5* camber, it absolutely sucks on the road, but running any less and you will notice they R's scrub out the outer shoulders.... 

 

Its a slippery slope!  

 

Road / rally compromised current settings and throw the R specs on and go! I do have a set of Cup suspension so it would be interesting to 'throw' that on, set it up and see how it goes...One day.

[DJM]

I've used R888s on a couple of previous cars, tried NT01 on the GT2 for road and track (Rennlist guys seem to like them - I found them to be good but not great IMO) and now have A050s on the RX7.  The A050s have been awesome - the guy who looks after my car races IPRA RX7 and was adamant they're the fastest.  

On his advice, I run them 24psi hot - seems crazy low but he knows having raced on them for many years.  Lightweight car of course, sub 1,000kg so may be different for a GT3 but the thing is a jet on these tyres, heaps of confidence at the limit on them.  Can't see myself changing to anything else.  

Oh and Peter Fitzgerald also said A050s are the go, his track driving clients all use them on various Porsches.

[Redracn]

For track work the A050 then Z221, DZ03G. Don't bother with the rest. Z221 are ok but I found them to have a narrower temp range and take longer to get to it (but ultimately a bit more grip) than the A050. The AD08, PSC2 etc are not in the same league they are just road tyres (soft sidewalls etc) that can be tracked as there is more to it than just the tread compound. 

[spiller]

I've used R888s on a couple of previous cars, tried NT01 on the GT2 for road and track (Rennlist guys seem to like them - I found them to be good but not great IMO) and now have A050s on the RX7.  The A050s have been awesome - the guy who looks after my car races IPRA RX7 and was adamant they're the fastest.  

On his advice, I run them 24psi hot - seems crazy low but he knows having raced on them for many years.  Lightweight car of course, sub 1,000kg so may be different for a GT3 but the thing is a jet on these tyres, heaps of confidence at the limit on them.  Can't see myself changing to anything else.  

Oh and Peter Fitzgerald also said A050s are the go, his track driving clients all use them on various Porsches.

24 psi hot, says a lot about the sidewall stiffness of A050! I run them at 28 hot in the GT3 but it's quite porky compared to your RX-7.

[SimonN]

I have used R888, Nitto NT01 and A050 on my GT3 on track.

NT01 1 second quicker per lap than R888

A050 1.5 second quicker per lap than NT01. They don't heat cycle out and provide grip until the belts show. I wouldn't bother with anything else basically. Much stiffer sidewall than both of the above, better feedback through the steering and more confidence to push in the corners. Can run them at sub 30 psi hot pressures too which I could never do with the R888 or NT01 as the sidewalls would roll around too much.

 

Just to take this a little further from testing I did, the R888's were really bad when it came to heat cycling. Although you have to be careful because there are other factors, I find that on the second (and subsequent) race/track day, they fell off by 2 seconds per lap. The A050's don't, even with a little road work in between. I have been told that some even think the speed up as they wear down. Anybody tried having a set shaved?

[spiller]

I ran on fairly worn A050 today and was around 1.5 seconds per lap slower than my PB. Take half a second out for higher fuel load. Many heat cycles, quite a bit of road driving and left on the car for the past 7 months. Still a robust tyre and they don't go off the cliff like the R888 do but based on my experience, they do become a little slower as they age.

[Redracn]

I ran on fairly worn A050 they do become a little slower as they age.

Yep but nowhere near as bad as the rest. I did Targa Tas on a single set of A050 mediums and then used that set at lake Mountain Sprint in cold wet icy conditions and they still had plenty in them. Over 700 competive km and 2500 road km. 

[SimonN]

I ran on fairly worn A050 today and was around 1.5 seconds per lap slower than my PB. Take half a second out for higher fuel load. Many heat cycles, quite a bit of road driving and left on the car for the past 7 months. Still a robust tyre and they don't go off the cliff like the R888 do but based on my experience, they do become a little slower as they age.

I am surprised you are attributing that much to tyre age/heat cycling on the A050's. 1 second can be a lot of other things, such as track temperature, weather, humidity and wind, never mind personal ability to reproduce consistently fast times (maybe you can).

Having said that, it does seem we are all in agreement that A050's are the bomb when it comes to retaining grip levels over time, compared with others. I personally would's use anything else, except like now where i am doing more road than track driving, in which case I have "stepped down" to the AD08R.

[spiller]

I am surprised you are attributing that much to tyre age/heat cycling on the A050's. 1 second can be a lot of other things, such as track temperature, weather, humidity and wind, never mind personal ability to reproduce consistently fast times (maybe you can).

Having said that, it does seem we are all in agreement that A050's are the bomb when it comes to retaining grip levels over time, compared with others. I personally would's use anything else, except like now where i am doing more road than track driving, in which case I have "stepped down" to the AD08R.

That's a fair point, i'm probably being a little unfair on the tyres. The rears just seemed to want to peel up a little easier yesterday than from previous times out there, so it was either the tyre or me just enjoying power on oversteer out of the corners too much , Track conditions have been similar the last couple of visits where i've set times but you never really know how much things like humidity and wind direction can hurt on any given day.

 

[edgy]

Just wanted to keep this one going and provide some feedback as well as throw another spanner in the works. 

I have been running on the A050 soft as of last meeting, by far my favourite (and fastest) tyre I have run on, loads of grip and they behave how I like on the adhesion limit. 

I wanted to see if anyone has tried the Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo R on a GT3?? Dudes on Rennlist are waxing lyrical over them (read this in GT4 section), some say they don't heat cycle well and that when they drop off, its a big curve. 

I'm running 18's to run the A050 (obviously) but was looking at some new rubber for the factory 19's, I've found that with the smaller wheel diameter of the 18" and at SMSP GP Circuit, I am hitting the limiter in 4th gear by the first marker.. I don't get that with the extra diameter of the 19, and I'd like to stay on it a little longer without doing a gear change or riding the limiter. 

 

[1q2w3e4r]

I think the dedicated R spec's are probably going to be faster for the track work by a decent margin and inspire more confidence towards the limits (not at or past).  I'm using the PSC2's and they really feel like an intermediate between a road tyre and R spec, which I guess isn't surprising as that is what they are.  

I guess I'm saying you may go backwards in times on a Trofeo?  I'd think they are a second or so faster than the Michelin's however.

What times are you doing and you are nudging the limiter in 4th at the end of the main straight on 18s?  What's the pace you carry through there?

[spiller]

Kurt, I have heard average feedback on the Trofeos. Expensive, wear out quickly and drop off the cliff quickly. It be a step backwards i'm thinking and you'd lose more time doing that than you would with an up-shift. 

[edgy]

I think the dedicated R spec's are probably going to be faster for the track work by a decent margin and inspire more confidence towards the limits (not at or past).  I'm using the PSC2's and they really feel like an intermediate between a road tyre and R spec, which I guess isn't surprising as that is what they are.  

I guess I'm saying you may go backwards in times on a Trofeo?  I'd think they are a second or so faster than the Michelin's however.

What times are you doing and you are nudging the limiter in 4th at the end of the main straight on 18s?  What's the pace you carry through there?

I have read about guys running a good deal faster on trofeos over MPSC2, but I suspect you're right in that I'll be slower than on the R's.. not to mention the OZ wheels are lighter than the OEM 19's too! 

I guess I wanted something close for the road wheels and it sounds like the MPSC2 will be the best of both worlds, I priced some trofeos the other day $2500~ for a set.. may as well stay on R's all being considered. 

Down to 1:50 on GP circuit, so still a good 5 seconds away from a solid time for this car, I use Daryl (geete3) as a yard stick, he runs 1:45 all day with same car.. I do know guys are faster but I'm not prepared to drive the 11/10 to get there.. I will go to a Cup car should I have the appetite to be faster. 

At the limiter the speedo bounces around 232-234 km/h 

entry speed to T1 is about 170 km/h at the moment, I think we can get a little more out of it for sure. 

Kurt, I have heard average feedback on the Trofeos. Expensive, wear out quickly and drop off the cliff quickly. It be a step backwards i'm thinking and you'd lose more time doing that than you would with an up-shift. 

a lot feedback suggests your right, I'll look into Cup 2's for the road wheels. 

?

Might just join you in a Cup one day! ?

[spiller]

^^^ sounds like you are well and truly addicted mate . I heard a saying, motorsport is like drugs, only drugs are cheaper!