How is the GT-R on the track..., in the rain? Options

[baron]

My first track day in my GT-R is coming this weekeend. Unfortunately, at least some light rain seems to be in the forecast. How well does this car do in the rain? Is there anything I should do differently? Does the AWD really help? How good are the tires in the rain? All my previous trackdays have been in my 335 on a dry track. Thanks.

[underpressure]

My first track day in my GT-R is coming this weekeend. Unfortunately, at least some light rain seems to be in the forecast. How well does this car do in the rain? Is there anything I should do differently? Does the AWD really help? How good are the tires in the rain? All my previous trackdays have been in my 335 on a dry track. Thanks.

Keep it in R-mode. It's moves around a bit due to the weight on corner entry and fast transitions.
Doesn't want to turn around on you though so its a pretty mild mannered.

Start slow and work your way up. You should be fine.

[MindlessOath]

There was one in japan from best motoring but i couldnt find it...

here are some recent ones with a modified R35










i know its not much. there are two sets of tires of which one does much better than the other. This modified R35 above might have slicks on, i dont remember what team freedom said about it.

[MindlessOath]

Here is some vids of the KW suspension demo car.... at Nurinburgring in the rain...

KW+GT-R+at+Nurinburgring

[baron]

I guess these are pros driving in a parking lot. Probably need keep a tighter line with a track full of other cars. I also saw the top gear test of Bruno Senna driving on the wet track in the GTR and it was pretty awesome.

This post has been edited by baron: Mar 19 2009, 08:10 PM

[DragoGT-R]

Keep it in R-mode. It's moves around a bit due to the weight on corner entry and fast transitions.
Doesn't want to turn around on you though so its a pretty mild mannered.

Start slow and work your way up. You should be fine.

I AGREE!

First time out at Autobahn at AMS track days I thought we needed a boat instead of a car but the car handled it fine but as Underpressure said take your time and work up to speed and you should be fine.

Enjoy!

[GTR010609]

I guess these are pros driving in a parking lot. Probably need keep a tighter line with a track full of other cars. I also saw the top gear test of Bruno Senna driving on the wet track in the GTR and it was pretty awesome.

GT-R in wet = incredible!

[gp900bj]

The GT-R is probably not as easy to drive in the wet as having an awd system might imply. It's almost certainly not as easy as a rex or evo, so starting off slow would be a good idea.

As far as wet laps in the GT-R go, this one here is pretty damned special:

Nordschleife, freezing cold, wet track, R-susp, R-transmission, VDC-off, 9:00 min, T.Suzuki.

[shawnhayes]

I guess these are pros driving in a parking lot. Probably need keep a tighter line with a track full of other cars. I also saw the top gear test of Bruno Senna driving on the wet track in the GTR and it was pretty awesome.

99.9995% sure this is the skidpad at VIR.

Painted circle with known diameter, tirewall, VIR lodge in background.

If we could time the circles, we'd be able to calculate the g.

Shawn

[jmunjr]

I drove in the rain at TWS and the understeer really kicked in. I was on the Dunlop summer tires. Despite the understeer I was still faster than most others out there, though most were rear engined Porsches..

[s1gins]

Drove in the wet at Lime Rock (video somewhere on here) and I've got to say the car was incredible. I would say that the systems really worked and kept the car in the desired lines, did not notice excessive understeer.

[Kunani]

We drove Laguna Seca half the day in the rain, it was great.. only bad thing is keeping your window down on the track

I used PZero that day and loved them.

[rgo808]

First time on track... total monsoon!!!! The car was great!!!!! 10 sec faster than anyone else in track cars...

[Fastech]

I also drove in the rain with the Bridgestones and turned right at 2 minutes flat a lap...faster than the average car would go in the DRY!!!

[Martin Donnon]

The wet session we undertook when testing was fantastic. Sure the times were slow and the track slippery, but the GTR on its stock Bridgestones as 10 sec a lap faster than the Porsches out there on proper wet tyres. Here is another being lapped........

[R35Wheee]

I went on a track day recently and found that out of low speed, tight corners in R/R/R mode the car would be too eager to goto 2nd and then would be difficult to put full power down. It seemed much faster putting it in manual mode and keeping the car in 3rd for these tight corners. Do people drive tracks in full auto, paddle shift or switch modes at different points of the track?

Also, I had the COBB stage 1 map installed and on a wet track found the car much more difficult to drive. Extra power was the last thing it needed and it easily overpowered all the wheels at times. Modulating the throttle with the boost arriving so quickly is difficult. For the afternoon sessions, I uninstalled the COBB and went back to stock maps. I found the car much more controllable and less likely to overpower the suspension and tires.

How are other people managing with modified cars on the track? It seems like brakes and weight are issues with the stock car, not a lack of power.... Maybe on a very dry day I would feel differently, but it made me nervous about adding a mid-pipe, or anything else that might increase the stock power.

[speedyg666]

How does the wet traction of the Dunlops (SP Sport 600 DSST) compare to the Bridgestones? I recently got some Dunlops but haven't tried them in the rain.

Also, for those of you who were required to run in the rain with the windows open, any tips on protecting the interior of the car? I had a car once that got mud splashed up in odd cracks and crevices and it was very difficult to clean.

[R35Wheee]

I have the Bridgestones and had no problem with traction on a wet track with the stock maps. With the COBB AP installed 2nd gear became unusable and 3rd was a little scary.

The rules say you needed to run with the windows down on the day I ran - within 1 minute the instructor and I both wound up the windows. Without rain gutters, all the rain from the roof and front comes directly into the car with the windows down - which seemed silly, so we wound the windows up.

[baron]

I found this excerpt from another site. Wonder how true it is?

***
Quotes from Autocar Magazine (print version) 6th May 2009

"GT-R is not quite the wet weather master you might expect. A combination of relatively aggressive rubber and turbo power delivery make it quite a handful around our narrow wet track.

WET CIRCUIT
Nissan GT-R - 1min 14.2sec
Audi R8 4.2 V8 - 1min 8.2sec"

...and for the dry circuit -

"The GT-R's pace comes from an ability to get the power down with minimum drama and incredibly strong brakes. It's a touch clinical to drive compared with the 430 Scuderia, but at the limit the GT-R is still an involving car.

DRY CIRCUIT
Nissan GT-R - 1min 10.1sec
Audi R8 4.2 V8 - 1min 13.5sec"

The wet and dry circuit layouts are different, so times are not comparable.

[fireworks]

@Baron
The Dunlop are not as good as the Bridgestone in the wet (but superior in the dry) from what I understand also the gt-r is not a permanent 4wd like your typical 4x4 and it might not gives you the confidence needed in the wet.