Wet track day tyres?

[phazed]

I was just wondering about using my set of road wheels and tyres, (which normally don't get used at all).

Car is a FWD Skoda vRS. Thoughts are if the day arrives and the weather is guaranteed awful, what do you do?

I always run a set of Toy R888's which aren't too bad in the wet when new but if like mine at the moment are a good half worn, they would be awful on track.

My road wheels have a set of Michelin Cross Climate tyres fitted which are excellent in the wet on the road. Thoughts are to use these in the wet rather than sit and drink copious cups of tea.....Any thoughts?

[Classic_Blend]

Not sure how hard you tend to push but I'd certainly refrain from some part used R888's in the soup. I should think the Road Wheel/Tyre combo you have would be sufficient.

I'm RWD chassis myself so wet days tend to turn into a game of throttle vs some degree of opposite lock.

Be a good time to hone your wet weather skills on some road tyres that's for sure. Without the need for 20 litres of tea

[phazed]

I do push hard in the dry but definitely am restrained in the wet.

Point is, there’s no point pussyfooting around just burning fuel with the inappropriate tyres fitted.

[PJ_Parsons]

If you use 18" or greater wheels the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport, work very well in the wet. I used these on an RX8 and it was great in the wet and the sidewalls were stiff enough to use in the dry. PS4S, is similar, but I have not tried these. All season tyres would be a compromise, most are not A rated for wet weather, but I'd definitely give them a go You would be better with an A rated for wet, summer tyre like the Goodyear Assy 5 or PS4.

Wet track days are great fun, but you have to have the right rubber.

Edited by PJ_Parsons on Monday 25th April 19:53

[C70R]

I wouldn't expect all-season tyres to be good in anything other than monsoon conditions. The combination of soft sidewalls, sipes and tall treadblocks means you're going to generate lots of heat and wear when you're using them hard.

Rainsports are a good budget option that behave predictably on damp tracks, but something like a PS4 will be the best all-rounder to use on a damp/drying track.

[M.F.D]

Uniroyal RS3's are a decent wet tyre for when there is a bit of standing water.

[C70R]

M.F.D said:

Uniroyal RS3's are a decent wet tyre for when there is a bit of standing water.

They perform less well in the wet than you'd think, certainly compared to the more modern High Performance Summer tyres. As a design it's almost 10 years old, after all.

In this 2020 AutoBild test, the PS3 had the worst wet braking and handling scores among a group of its peers: https://www.tyrereviews.com/Article/2020-Auto-Bild...

But, they are at least predictable in the wet, and relatively cheap. Soft sidewalls mean that they are typically better on lighter cars.

[M.F.D]

C70R said:

They perform less well in the wet than you'd think, certainly compared to the more modern High Performance Summer tyres. As a design it's almost 10 years old, after all.

In this 2020 AutoBild test, the PS3 had the worst wet braking and handling scores among a group of its peers: https://www.tyrereviews.com/Article/2020-Auto-Bild...

But, they are at least predictable in the wet, and relatively cheap. Soft sidewalls mean that they are typically better on lighter cars.

Been fine on the cars i've had, and my local track is Knockhill, so used to rain... Loads use them and rate them. Other option is to go to a full wet tyre if you are serious.

[Pebbles167]

Those cross climate tyres will be okay, shouldn't have crazy sudden loss of traction like you would on the R888.

For my last few cars I've bought an extra set of wheels, fitted one set with my track tyre of choice, and the other with Uniroyal rainsport 5. They perform pretty well in the wet, and are quite cheap. You can get an XL (extra load) version with a stiffer sidewall for heavier cars.

Seem to recall a lot of club racers use the Rainsports for a wet race.

[mickyh7]

OK, not on a car but on a Bike.
The first time I used proper Wets, I was astonished at the level of grip.
Absolutely phenomenal!
But only on wet, not on standing water.

[CedricN]

According to this test Continental sport contact 7 seems to be the absolute best UUHP tyre when it comes to wet handling (though not the best for aquaplaning)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t10y-87oiD4

[mickyh7]

CedricN said:

According to this test Continental sport contact 7 seems to be the absolute best UUHP tyre when it comes to wet handling (though not the best for aquaplaning)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t10y-87oiD4

Race Wets have nothing in common with road tyres.
Other than being Black and Round.

[C70R]

mickyh7 said:

CedricN said:

According to this test Continental sport contact 7 seems to be the absolute best UUHP tyre when it comes to wet handling (though not the best for aquaplaning)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t10y-87oiD4

Race Wets have nothing in common with road tyres.
Other than being Black and Round.

Indeed. For a starter, you wouldn't be able to drive there and back on race wets. And you'd kill race wets quickly on a drying track.

For a casual trackdayer, they just feel like overkill.

Edited by C70R on Tuesday 26th April 09:25

[Pebbles167]

mickyh7 said:

OK, not on a car but on a Bike.
The first time I used proper Wets, I was astonished at the level of grip.
Absolutely phenomenal!
But only on wet, not on standing water.

Yes it's quite a thing.

Before I'd only every ridden wet track days on Michelin pilot road's, a decent tyre for sure. I then bought some race wets and found I was able to go knee down round pretty high speed corners in fairly heavy rain. They soon overheat in the dry though, so they need to come off pretty much as soon as there is a dry line.

[carl_w]

C70R said:

They perform less well in the wet than you'd think, certainly compared to the more modern High Performance Summer tyres. As a design it's almost 10 years old, after all.

The Rainsport 5 has now replaced the Rainsport 3, so is a much newer design (2019 I think?)

[C70R]

carl_w said:

C70R said:

They perform less well in the wet than you'd think, certainly compared to the more modern High Performance Summer tyres. As a design it's almost 10 years old, after all.

The Rainsport 5 has now replaced the Rainsport 3, so is a much newer design (2019 I think?)

Indeed, but even it has now fallen behind the competition for wet performance https://www.tyrereviews.com/Article/2022-Summer-Ty...

A good budget option, but nowhere close to the best available in the wet.

[carl_w]

C70R said:

Indeed, but even it has now fallen behind the competition for wet performance https://www.tyrereviews.com/Article/2022-Summer-Ty...

A good budget option, but nowhere close to the best available in the wet.

Those reviews don't make any sense. Bridgestone Turanza T005 has the shortest wet braking distance, and the third shortest dry braking distance. When I click on the review it says "Negative - Numb dry handling with very high levels of understeer, longer wet braking distances than the best, very low aquaplaning resistance, very high passby noise."

[mickyh7]

carl_w said:

Those reviews don't make any sense. Bridgestone Turanza T005 has the shortest wet braking distance, and the third shortest dry braking distance. When I click on the review it says "Negative - Numb dry handling with very high levels of understeer, longer wet braking distances than the best, very low aquaplaning resistance, very high passby noise."

The internet is full of Bullst.
Just ask or listen to real people about their experiences with a particular brand.
Especially around tracks.
See what's mentioned regularly!

[C70R]

mickyh7 said:

carl_w said:

Those reviews don't make any sense. Bridgestone Turanza T005 has the shortest wet braking distance, and the third shortest dry braking distance. When I click on the review it says "Negative - Numb dry handling with very high levels of understeer, longer wet braking distances than the best, very low aquaplaning resistance, very high passby noise."

The internet is full of Bullst.
Just ask or listen to real people about their experiences with a particular brand.
Especially around tracks.
See what's mentioned regularly!

That "bullst" is probably the most comprehensive, empirical, scientific test of tyres in the world.

But sure, let's go ask Derek the electrician in his Clio at Brands Hatch. He'll know better, I reckon.

[HustleRussell]

Just use the same tyres you'd use in the dry. Maybe have a second set of stickers ready to go if its wet. At least when you make an error and go off, your speed will be lower than it would have been if you were on specialist wet tyres.