R888's require driving skill?

[dswarwick]

I've got hold of a set of 15" alloys for trackdays. My immediate thought was to fit r888s but reading around I've seen suggestions that

A) the grip outperforms the suspension (std cup) and so you keep hitting the bump stops
B) the tyres exceed my driving ability on track (which they will)

So I'm wondering if for this season it would be better to get parada spec 2's as a lower cost option and just get better at track driving or whether I'll regret not getting the r888s or whether it's better to learn on the higher grip tyre.

What I'm after is a car that feels like it has really 'tight' handling, but I'm concious that again it's probably the drivers fault rather than the car!

Parada spec2's are probably about £250 cheaper fitted. What's the best thing I can spend the £250 on to enjoy trackdays the most?

 

[Fred@BTM]

you can do quick times on 888's but you'll find it hard to have fun with them (ie sideways charlie sexy driving)

normal road tyres are much more "fun" but not as quick

 

[Keith185]

If you want to learn how your car handles on the limit road spec tyres are how you'll learn. R888's limit is much much higher.

 

[Henry]

i'd say it's better to stick with a good, progressive road tyre (track tyres tend to be much less progressive) and learn how the car handles on those before, may be, later deciding to use track tyres. (ed. - as Keith185)

there are loads of cons to track tyres and, personally, tend to prefer road tyres for track days. you 'need' them at sprints, as everyone else has them.

Fred, just out of interest, have you assessed the difference in lap times that they tend to show?

 

[Bluebeard]

I've done a fair few track days and am a bit of a petrol head, but i'm seriously considering binning my newly aquired 888's.

 

[Fred@BTM]

Henry - i've never got that into detail with it on track day stuff TBH as i treat that as recreation not competition, motorsport stuff is motorsport, track day is a "non uniform day" if you will

 

[Henry]

gotcha. i think a lot of sprinters automatically find themselves thinking about this kind of thing, just as it's so easy to see the timed difference between runs before/after various bits have been done to the car.

 

[Fred@BTM]

at a guess i'd say 2sec round oulton park

 

[Peperami]

If you want different tyres for your track wheels, the paradas will be a good compromise. Masses of grip for track work. Be good for summertime road use too.

 

[shiyan]

Until you're a very good driver, the higher grip of the R888s could mask your mistakes, and when you do go over the limit, you'll be doing so at a much higher speed than if you were on road tires, and you might not have learnt the skills to recover

try to get some tuition first, before going to R888s

 

[Gally]

If you want different tyres for your track wheels, the paradas will be a good compromise. Masses of grip for track work. Be good for summertime road use too.

I said this in another thread they are a great soft dry tyre for track use.

 

[Henry]

at a guess i'd say 2sec round oulton park

sounds similar to what i've found in the past