Track Tyres

Thinking about getting a set of road legal track tyres.  Any suggests?

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What car & rim size 18 inch?

sorry James   997 19inch

I've had a set of federal 595rs (205/50/15) on my 78 targa. Good grip, it's on club reg so no idea of kms to a set!

Not to much in 19 inch around, i did run on my 997 GT3 a few different 19 inch tyres but then changed to 18 inch wheels (they are now with near new r spec tyres in the for sale section here ) http://porscheforum.com.au/topic/9079-gt3-wheels-18-inch-9971/ 1. Pilot sport cups were ok but not that good in the wet 2. Pirelli P zero were good wet & dry I think the best in 19 inch are Dunlop SP sport maxx race but do cost a bit

I found the Michelin PS Cup2 to be way better in the wet and more durable than the original PS Cup. Options are limited in 19.  Dunlop Sport max Race, Michelin PS Cup2, Pirelli Corsa Or a bit more racy Toyo R888

The Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R is supposed to be pretty good. Michelin PS Cup2's for me though...

http://www.yokohama.com.au/Tyres/ADVAN-Neova-AD08.aspx

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I second the Neova , these are considered by many as an "S" compound tyre, just short of an "R" compound semi slick like the Advan AO50 / Toyo Proxes R888, Pilot Cups etc World Time Attack Clubsprint class runs the Neova and they have achieved some very impressive times on this tyre But there are a few more things you should consider I also suggest a 2nd set of wheels just for your track tyres, they will last longer this way, and as James has mentioned, I would go for 18" in wheel size...more choice of tyres Also if you haven't been on a track before, I would do the regular checks for your car / seek advice from your local Porsche club motorsports captain etc, not all Porsches can take high g-forces for lap after lap on sticky tyres....check your models capability beforehand Cheers Robert

I run the Pilot Sport Cup 2's on my 07 GT3RS and have deliberately provoked them on a number of occasions in the wet and they stayed calm.  They're the ducks guts on track but take care on starting pressures (ask around) as too high cooks them and they'll tear themselves up.  On a very wet track, they'll be compromised but if you're keen and lean on them, they carry some temp and work OK but I'd suggest discretion is exercised and you ease into the pits and search for cover and a hot drink. Otherwise, have fun finding out.  Nothing clears the head like an adrenaline rush.  You're in San Remo so the Island is calling you ...

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I had Nitto NT01s that a lot of guys on Rennlist seem to use and found the m to be very good.  I've had R888s on various cars in the past and liked them too. But Peter Fitzgerald (who has a fair but more experience and talent than me!) advised that Yokohama A050 are the quickest tyre and most of his clients running GT3s etc use them.

I use the A050 for tarmac rally and they are excellent. Wide temperature range, warm up quickly and reasonable number of temperature cycles. But as far as I know you will need 18" rims. Along the same line is Hankook Z221 and Dunlop DZ03G. These are all genuine no compromise motorsport tyres. The cup2, sport maxx race, AD08 etc are more of a compromise but still trackable tyres.

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Im one of the clients & have known the guys at Fitzys for 20 years, I used Yokohama A050 soft compound on my GT3 track car & set a few lap records with them but they are not available in 19 inch. The soft compound A050 is very quick tyre but you need to know what your doing... you only get 1 or 2 laps in a session & you can used a set in 1 or 2 days at the island. If you go 18 inch & want an R spec tyre i would recommend in order the following tyres that i have used & have experience with. 1. Yokohama A050 medium compound (best all-round tyre) 2. Hankook Ventus TD Z221 medium compound  (can't tell much difference to the A050) 3. Nitto NT01 (cheap half the price of the 2 above & good for having fun on track days) A second set of 18 inch wheels is best if your serious but if you just want to do a few track days find some decent 19 inch tyres as mentioned in the above posts. Also don't forget brake pad compounds thats another story all together... Agreed...

As other have mentioned the best track tyres come in 18's (A050's + Z221's). However - if you don't want to go to 18's the new gun 19" tyre that's out is the Bridgestone RE-71R. I'm not 100% if there is anyone in Oz selling them yet but they are proving hugely popular in the US and are a great price through Tirerack. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE-71R The local Bridgestone motorsports tyre dealer is trackside tyres http://tracksidetyres.com.au/ - it might be worth giving Craig a call and seeing if these are available locally yet. But I plan on buying some 19" wheels and fitting these to the GT4 later in the year (only because 18's don't clear the GT4 brakes). But they are step up from the current 19" options of Cup2, Sports Maxx Race and Trofeo R's from all reports.

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+1 on the pads. With better R tyres you will cook the standard pads. My experience with pads is you get what you pay for. If you do decide to upgrade pads I would recommend starting with Pagid RS19/29 and use them as a reference for anything else you want to try as there are a lot of good pads out there (and rubbish ones to).

+1 on RS29's

Thanks to all for your comments and advice as mention I have decided to go with 18" wheel for a better choice of tyre

Hi all, I'm in the process of ordering BBS CH -R's in 18's for my 997 GT3 to use for track days. Consensus from what I've researched seems that wheels in 18 x 8.5 front and 18 x 11 back would fit most R spec tyre brands mentioned around the 245/295 or 305 size. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I run a 9" front and 11" rear 18" dia rims and run the 050 in 235 front and 295 rear. (Widest they do) 245 would be too wide for an 8.5" wide rim. Most manufacturers dia table of recommend rim widths for their tyres.

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Hey Teutonic, sounds like 9" and 11" is the way to go, and I like the idea of running 050's I've heard great things about them. Thank you!

I have also inched down to 18's to access better tyres. Running 9-inch and 11-inch. 235 and 295 Hankook Z221s. EDIT : I've used A050s before and they are much of a muchness as previously stated but I find the construction of the Z221s to be stronger, you can very easily scallop an A050 with sloppy driving. Also FWIW before Yokohama bought the rights to World Time Attack the fastest cars in all three classes were running Hankook tyres.

From some recent logging in a Tarmac Rally using 245/40 18. 050 Medium and Z221 C5 . The 050 takes about 1.5 minutes to reach 70% of its final surface temperature. The Z221 takes about 6 minutes. The Z221 has more overall grip with the suspension settings I use and can peak at 1.3 G almost 0.1 more than the 050 but this could change with suspension setup. Rolling temps for both at a constant 80kph are 20 to 30C above ambient so 40 to 50C. Peak temps are over 100C in long fast corners with ambient around 25C Just avoid the Z221 if it is wet as the 050 are way better.

^^^^ That's some awesome data. And I was going to comment on the hankook til I read your last sentence. :) Really was surprised by how average they were in the wet given their dry performance. 050 definitely outshine there.

Bumping this older thread, as I have been talking recently about tyres. I have been running the Yoko A050's on an 18" wheel for a number of years now, but with the always improving tyre technology, I am wondering if anyone can comment on how these A050's would stack up to the latest Cup 2 or Trofeo R? I am going put some fresh rubber on the 19" street wheels of my 7.1, so I am curious if anyone knows just how close the comparison is, or if there is still a disparity? The local GT4 & 991 + crowd are running some impressive numbers these days, but I am not sure how much of this is attributed to aero and where applicable driver aids... so its hard to know if the tyres they run are a help or a hindrance (if they could get a 20" A050 for arguments sake)

I think there's still a gap- not sure how big it actually is in practice as I haven't done a day out at ECR on them yet but have on the Cup 2s.  The flexibility of having a cup 2 that drives like a road tyre on the road without all the associated noise of an A050 is a massive plus in my view.

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Still a big gap. The Yokos  are a real race tyre with stiffer sidewalks and warm up way quicker and have a bigger operating range and far better cycle capability than cup2. Z221 are even faster but with a narrower temp range. Dunlop DZ03G are fighting back against Yoko and I will be trying their latest in a few months. Putting R rubber on a road tyre construction just makes a track capable road tyre not a race tyre.

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Makes sense, so I guess the question is; is it worth spending up on Cup 2s or Trofeos for street tyres? My thoughts were to have the car cable of turning out solid laps in its full street trim (on the 19" wheels)... or do you think its best to just relinquish this concept, get a "good" road tyre and keep the $$ saved towards the A050's? I have not been disappointed with the A050's mind you, I love them, and actually had the current set pre-scrubbed by Gordon Leven motorsport... didn't improve times or grip, but by god were they consistent! The only time they'd go "off" was when the club decided on 15 minute sessions last year (Porsche vs BMW) at the GP circuit, and they were old by that point anyway.

I'm liking this thread as I grapple with street tyres for my GT3.  Car already has a set of A050s on original 2 piece wheels for track use, been considering some street tyres to go on another set of 18" rims (6.2 GT3 lookalikes).  Looks like there aren't any cost effective shorter life, lesser brand tyres available in the 225/40 and 285/30 sizes (or close to these), so will consider whether I just put PS2s or Cup2s on.

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Honestly, on an 18" wheel... I still think the AD08 R by Yokohama is the best tyre for the money, for your intended use, the last set I bought for my 996 GT3 was about $1300~ for all four. Cups will be north of $2k

@TwoHeadsTas Nangkangs an option for you if they have the right size? I've had these AR1's on my 15inch rims and they're great on the road. Probably the most cost effective R compound tyre around http://nankangtyres.com.au/tyre/ar-1/

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Lee, these look pretty much the equivalent of the A050's I've already got.  I was more looking at something that had a bit more of a tread pattern that could handle a bit of wet road.  They do a 225/40, but not a 285/30, only a 295/30 and it would be a matter of whether those could squeeze on a 10" rim safely.  However, at around a grand for a set they could certainly be an option!! Kurt, starting to think along these lines.......

@edgy Cup 2 is crap in wet, only grip once hot. I would rule them out as an all rounder. I have been interested to watch the  input before I made s comment. Based on what I have seen, stick with Yoki’s. @edgy Cup 2 is crap in wet, only grip once hot. I would rule them out as an all rounder. I have been interested to watch the  input before I made s comment. Based on what I have seen, stick with Yoki’s.

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Maybe the Nangkang NS2R tyres would suit.  I know some a raving about them (I was very happy with the AR1's). And sorry, I'm unsure which size you're after. 18's I imagine? http://nankangtyres.com.au/tyre/ns-2/

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Yes, the AD08 R is the right balance in my opinion, its often referred to as an S compound, and I don't like driving on the road with R compounds, they are too fucking noisy in a car that is already hard enough to hear yourself think in... in the last season I ran sprint events, I had PR tech do my track support, they would bring my wheels to each meeting and put them on the car, take them back off, clean and balance them upon return, all ready for the next event... it gave them a bit more life too, since Wakefield park is circa 400km return journey for me! Much more pleasant driving that distance on road tyres. If they made the AD08-R in the correct rear size for the 19" on the 997, I'd probably be buying them, alas they don't. Any thoughts on Trofeo R ?

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Yes 18's.  They've got rears, but no fronts... That seems to be the  challenge with Porsche tyre sizes generally......

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Have run the Nankang AR1 on a couple of hillclimbs (80 treadwear) but tyre is about 2kg a tyre heavier than A050 and I find the grip is not up to the same level. Ok maybe for short sprints as they seem to wear alright for the price but don't perform as well. 2 cents worth ! Am using Pirelli P Zero for the road.

@edgy haven’t tried the Trofeo R

I've run both Yoko and MPSC2 FWIW and have them on seperate cars at present. The cup 2s are great for an all rounder you can drive on the road, have low(ish) road noise and punt around at the track with good levels of grip (well above a road tyre).  They don't hang on and have the total grip level of a dedicated R spec but they are about 85-90% of the way there.

@9fan Nice one. I'm told the AR1 need a while to warm up, so that makes sense they may lack the grip for hillclimbs. I've only used them in the hills and found they transformed my SC, but I've not tried any other R comp's to compare them to.

1. Yokohama AD0R or 050 are sensational tyres. Progressive and very predictable. 2. Pirelli I find are highly overrated, never lived up to the hype for me. 3. Michelin I find better than an equivalent Pirelli. 4. Refer to point 1.

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Would have gone Michelin for roadies but not in the specific size I wanted . Happy with the Pirelli's especially in the wet I encountered, will see how they go over summer. Will be tracking them (standard road class) this weekend.

Dry track - Ran the M135 with AR1 on the front, A050 on the rear with good grip in the rear but Nankangs sliding a bit much on the turns. Only 2 runs maybe lowering the pressure a bit might help but will go to A050 on the front next time. Then swapped for the (road Class) to the Pirelli's with the 220 treadwear, the ABS was kicking in a lot under braking out on the track but they held up well for a road tyre. Came in second in the road class to a car on Pilot Sport Cup 2 - need I say more !

Ordered some Cup 2’s today, will know whether it was a good move or not soon enough... they weren’t terrible on $$ nor cheap... Trofeo R’s a lot harder to obtain.

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I'm tending towards AD08s, just about to send email to my tyreman about them actually......

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Let me know how you go with road grip. A 245 40 18 shows at $349 . Don't think they would be much good in the wet, I am told you need a bit of heat in them before they start performing.

I just street drive on A050s now and don't drive my car in the wet, maybe more a commentary on how much I actually drive my car on the street than how appropriate the tyre is though. For anyone with appropriate sized wheels, there exists a more street-oriented Advan A052 tyre which uses a similar compound to A050 with a more road-friendly tread pattern that is quieter and works better in the wet (looks similar(ish) to the tread pattern on a Cup 2 tyre).

can anyone help me out? looking for 050 for a 997 GT3 whats the biggest I can go on an 18"

I have 245/40/18 and 295/30/18 on a set of 18" 996 turbo twists.

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ok cool, currently the options for 19" are minimal so I am thinking of going down to 18" and hoping some other brave soul has run Yokohama 050 however it does look like 295 is the max they make which is mildly disappointing NT01 seem to go out to 315 but are they just wider not necessarily better?

My experience is A050 every day over NT01.  The Rennlist guys used to rave about NT01s so I got a set for my GT2 but didn’t rate them.  Fitzy told me A050 are THE tyre run by all the fastest cars at PCV events. i run A050 (265/18 all round) on my Mazda track car, awesome tyres.  Like all R specs they are sensitive to pressures.  I run them at 28 psi hot (typically means 22-23 psi cold) but if I get it wrong and  by the end of a session, hot pressures get up to 30 or more it’s immediately noticeable, slipping and sliding and locking up brakes. Being 1230kg, same size tyre all round and pretty much 50/50 weight distribution means what I do won’t apply to a Porsche with more weight, more rear bias and larger rear tyres. No point choosing best tyre but then losing performance through wrong pressures.  Don’t turn up at the track with 35 psi as per a road car 🤔 .

As above, yokie 050 is the way forward. The 295 is actually a 305 section tyre. Plenty wide enough. I stagger my compounds. Medium rear and soft front. But am a 1000kg aircooled car. Still tears through rears 50% faster than fronts. I run 28psi front and between that and 30 in the rear. The only thing faster will be hoosier A or R7’s or full slicks.

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Yup, I run this compound combo on the GT3 too... been through a few sets... the rears go first, every time! I picked up some 18" OZ wheels for my A050's I run 235/40 R18 front with a 295/35 R18 rear You can get away with running the 295/30 R18 on the back too, but because the 997 came with a 19, I am told the 35 is the better aspect ratio to run... your rolling diameters need to be in check, you can cause yourself ABS ice mode if the rolling dia is not consistent front to rear.

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awesome info have been through 2 sets of Trofeo R 245/35/19 305/30/19 but looking for something a little faster pressures wise - hot I'd be aiming at 30psi and if I got 31 or 32 they would start to bleed grip with yaw