Spa in March

[Scotty C]

spa does have a few large rivers when is pi55ing down but has very little standing water on it.

Go with 48/88 every time

Dont blame me if you bin it.

[mikeyb13]

Im inclined to agree with you Scotty but my sensible head goes with Campbell.
My biggest worry is that if it is dry T1r's will last about 3 corners.
Car looks with the Black Rotas and R888s though

[campbell]

Does a tyre heat up primarily when laterally loaded on a corner, when running at high rpm down a fast straight, or when heatsoaking from very hard braking?

In the F1 world, I believe it's the 3rd of those, if I remember Brundle correctly. At Spa, I can only think of 2 places where you really need to stand on the brakes (in my world at least). Therefore I still theorise that wets on a dry track will provide a better overall experience than drys on a wet.

Mikey, it could be argued that T1Rs are not the best compromise in this situation. Advan Neovas as per Lotus-approved fitment for S1s are probably a strong bet though.

Where are all these track gods when you need them? OK so we've heard from Scotty but he's mental.

[mikeyb13]

Its not track god advice Im after Campbell as Im by no stretch of the imagination one myself.
So your advice will do fine Any other beginers advice?
Going to try get out for the first few laps with the pace car and then try get out with Stu for some scary laps

[Stu160]

Im inclined to agree with you Scotty but my sensible head goes with Campbell.
My biggest worry is that if it is dry T1r's will last about 3 corners.
Car looks with the Black Rotas and R888s though

How much tread do the R88,s have, i done Spa last year on half worn R888,s , they were not that bad, and as the forecast is dry all week.....

Stu

[mikeyb13]

They are pretty much brand new.

[campbell]

Its not track god advice Im after Campbell as Im by no stretch of the imagination one myself.

I meant from POV of them knowing more about tyre wear / performance than me, since I am not exactly the last of the late brakers.

Only other wisdom I can impart is to make the most of any sighting laps, pref with an experienced Spa person as your pax, then continue with them for first few laps until you get a basic groove.

My feeling (rightly or wrongly) is that you arrive at most places around Spa faster than anywhere else you have driven, so build it up and don't be tempted to hang onto other cars. Probably applies especially to your Honda'd Elise which will have quite some capability there

An instructor at KH explained the benefits of steadily nibbling away at braking points, and nowhere is this better illustrated than the end of the Kemmel Straight. Go further and further beyond the distance boards each time. Robin helped me see how I was arriving at Les Combes with pleeenty to spare, even in the wet, and how that then set the car up poorly for turn-in. On other parts of the circuit there is more to think about, which is why I suggest there is a good place. Same at Bus Stop chicane and La Source hairpin, I suppose, but end of Kemmel was my fave.

Bruxelles goes on for ever. Be patient in the wet. In the dry I imagine you can push fairly hard, but that is only conjecture.

You also have the luxury of taking "The Kimi Line" through Pouhon if you want to test out lateral Gs (credit to Dom for the Kimi Line comment!)...as lots of tarmac runoff available.

Blanchimont is the cahoonas tester, and there are some special rules about how to set the car up and get through there fast without arriving in tyres at a high velocity but I can't remember them. You'll have to ask someone!

Eau Rouge was in principle nothing special in my lowly powered Elise (although in p!ssing rain it still felt pretty tough going to me and I enjoyed it every time!). If it IS wet, I think there is scope to go badly wrong there as the changing weight on the steering can be pretty un-nerving and may induce corrections that are not required. Also a big river along the bottom. They call that the Eau Rouge I believe...

If you can get hold of McKean, he can probably give some great insight from a trackday, rather than racing, perspective, and he was there with us in the wet on stupid tyres. Passed everyone too, obviously

And clearly I'd recommend Robin for a corner by corner attack guide. He saw me round and back home safely so I owe him a lot of credit for what I achieved on my 40th birthday treat!

Enjoy.

Campbell

[rossybee]

Fit wets and if it's dry, swap them over so the vees are facing the wrong way - massively improves braking performance

Or doesn't that work on Elises?

[alicrozier]

Forecast is pretty good and 888's are new which suggests they would have minimal risk.
If it does rain you need to go much slower obviously...

T1R's are always going to be slower and more progressive (so safer?), but on a dry day at spa you'll be kicking yourself as they'll go off in a couple of laps. Example from Herr Boagmeister below:

[mikeyb13]

Now that the situation of finding out I had no mot last week has been fixed and the mad panic to get it booked in and fortunately passed. Its really the first time Ive been able to think about the track itself.
Im bricking it

Hats of to Alan Gourley from the mot station "beautifull underneath too"

[BigD]

Any other beginers advice?

R888's are awesome in the wet they only struggle in standing water but then so do most tyres.

They were perfect for these conditions.

[Scotty C]

it was a bit wet when i raced there. Shame Chris cut this clip just when im about to pass him

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcn4amta ... re=related

[mckeann]

if the R888's are new, then they will clear as much water as is required to be safe. When we were there, they shut the track when the rain got so heavy that people were aquaplaning. I'd agree with Scotty and go with the 888's.

As for advice, shut your eyes, go fast, and remember that eau rouge and blanchimont arent QUITE flat in a honda elise as your arriving 20mph faster than the k series S1's

[scottishselise]

Chap today told me the yoko AO48's are better in wet than 888. Anyone confirm this?

[mckeann]

I'd say its the other way round. 888's are SLIGHTLY better in the wet. But this all depends on them being quite new and having tread remaining.