Semi slicks...

[xplosv57]

Good tyres for the front, and just remember, it may be a wet track. Stuff the back, you don't use them anyway and will help you turn the car in on the corners

well thats what made me think of it cos its the first time ive driven in the wet with my current tyres and had next to no grip!!

[Nurb608]

well thats what made me think of it cos its the first time ive driven in the wet with my current tyres and had next to no grip!!

lol, just put something thats not overly expensive on the back but is going to disperse water if it's on the track. The front's I still wouldn't run slicks, play it safe with something a bit more intermediate. Or as Matt said, chuck the 18's on and just get used to the car on the track.

[xplosv57]

Hmm... I wouldn't say the rears aren't important. Sure they're not putting any power down, but I sure would want to be confident with my rear grip on some of those Winton corners. I don't think i'd like having the sticky tyres on the front and having nice turn in but have the back try to overtake the front. Personally i'd just run the 18's and have a more neutral handling car.

nah im definetely gonna try have new tyres regardless, the rears are definetely important but would be more confident having the semis on the front to eliminate understeer which is more likely than oversteer in a fwd. couple of customers we get in with minis seem to have the same setup with semis on the front and the standard dunlops on the rear.

still my least preferred option is to run the 18s due to their on off grip, dont wanna be looping it on the s bend on the main straight........... =P

[MatsHolden]

nah im definetely gonna try have new tyres regardless, the rears are definetely important but would be more confident having the semis on the front to eliminate understeer which is more likely than oversteer in a fwd. couple of customers we get in with minis seem to have the same setup with semis on the front and the standard dunlops on the rear.

still my least preferred option is to run the 18s due to their on off grip, dont wanna be looping it on the s bend on the main straight........... =P

lol I still wouldn't run semi's on the front and 'normal' tyres on the rear. You want all the even lateral grip you can get, particularly on that big sweeper... turn in, "oh sweet it turns in nice" mid corner "oh shit". I'd rather be able to feel the front push first and then just back it off to suit.

[xplosv57]

lol, just put something thats not overly expensive on the back but is going to disperse water if it's on the track. The front's I still wouldn't run slicks, play it safe with something a bit more intermediate. Or as Matt said, chuck the 18's on and just get used to the car on the track.

well i know the R888s do well in the wet, mate raced his car last week in the rain and hail and didn't have too much traction issues, and as for the RT615s, Mats best to comment but id guess theyre good in the wet judging from the tread design....

otherwise the RE001s seem to be a favourite for performance road use and not too bad on a track!!

[MatsHolden]

well i know the R888s do well in the wet, mate raced his car last week in the rain and hail and didn't have too much traction issues, and as for the RT615s, Mats best to comment but id guess theyre good in the wet judging from the tread design....

otherwise the RE001s seem to be a favourite for performance road use and not too bad on a track!!

Yeah the 615's surprised me in the wet. Didn't think they'd grip as well as they do in the wet. Just keep an eye out if there are any 'rivers' running across the track because that's where the tread exceeds it's water dispersing rate...

[xplosv57]

lol I still wouldn't run semi's on the front and 'normal' tyres on the rear. You want all the even lateral grip you can get, particularly on that big sweeper... turn in, "oh sweet it turns in nice" mid corner "oh shit". I'd rather be able to feel the front push first and then just back it off to suit.

yeah im in two minds about it, theres pros and cons about both setups, one customer at work with semis on the front will hopefully be in tomorrow so ill try and have a word with him about it!!

Yeah the 615's surprised me in the wet. Didn't think they'd grip as well as they do in the wet. Just keep an eye out if there are any 'rivers' running across the track because that's where the tread exceeds it's water dispersing rate...

yeah no tyre can match up with the rivers across the track, just hang on for dear life, or slow down!!

[Nurb608]

Just don't judge your set up on what the mini's do, they are absolute nuts around the corners at Winton, no chance of getting an astra to handle like they do!

I'm still a big believer of getting used to the car on the track before getting high spec tyres though. With normal tyres, it's a progressive feeling you get when you are loosing traction, with track tyres, you either have grip, or your off!

Just my opinion

[xplosv57]

Just don't judge your set up on what the mini's do, they are absolute nuts around the corners at Winton, no chance of getting an astra to handle like they do!

I'm still a big believer of getting used to the car on the track before getting high spec tyres though. With normal tyres, it's a progressive feeling you get when you are loosing traction, with track tyres, you either have grip, or your off!

Just my opinion

on im not judging it just based on the minis, but its purely a cost issue at the moment...

its good to have a few opinions from you guys with track experience and will take it on board, but just based on general road experience, the hankook 18s aren't happy and the michelins on the 16s are well past their use by date so new tyres would be a great benefit!!!

might just suck it up and go on the 18s, won't push as hard but like you say, just get used to the car on the track!!

but that also means the ride height is going up =(

[Nurb608]

I've only been out twice, i'd listen more to Matt, lol. But I can give ya a point of view from someone starting out on the track. And with ride height, you'd be happy to be higher if you come off at the end of Kitome Straight There's a big ditch there.