Feedback request on Pirelli P zero tires at HPDE events
 

Hi,

I'm looking at doing some HPDE events with my 997 turbo 6MT. The car is on mostly stock suspension components except for Eiback springs. The tires are Pirelli P Zero at stock size. I'm mainly concerned with wet performance. The tracks always seem to be wet in the morning hours in late summer, fall. Any feedback/review on these tires for HPDE events would be greatly appreciated.

These tires are perfectly fine for getting started out in HPDEs. As a summer street tire, they have more than adequate wet traction on the track. Your instructor will guide you on the best driving line to take on a wet track and common sense things like avoiding standing water, etc.

I have a few HPDE events under my belt. I hate driving in the rain. My last time out, in a different car, I lost it on a wet track at NJMSP Thunderbolt on Nitto tires. They are terrible in the rain. I read mixed reviews on tirerack.com on the P Zero tires.

Pzeros kinda suck, but you should be ok. Obviously you'll want to go slower in the rain, but compared to NT01s, the pirellis should have much better grip in standing water. On a just a wet track, a newish set of NT01s might actually be better.

While they should do just fine, once they are worn out, I'd pursue other options

The Nitto tires were about 8 year old. I was in the first group out in the morning on the wet track. I'm guessing the oil from the slick tires laid down on the track floated up by the water and the old Nitto tires made the car handled like a boat. Very scary. Hope the Pzero's will do much better.

N1 Spec P Zero are way way better than the N0 spec. With stock alignment keep the tire pressure a little higher than you would think or read on these forums so that the true doesn't roll over. Make hot pressure the stock cold pressure or 1psi more and you will be fine....go drive and have a blast! Don't forget to get track insurance ;-)

If you have tred life left use it. Been running P-Zeros through the summer, and 3 track events at present without issue.

ok through low intermediate

The P-Zeros are just fine, for overall performance - wet and dry. I have found them to be in the middle of the pack of standard tires installed OEM from Porsche.
Michelin Sport Pilots - quickest, followed by
P-Zero in second, and
GoodYear Assymetric 2s being slowest.

But, if you like the P-Zeros as street tires, (I do) perhaps you should consider picking up a set of track only tires. You will likely ruin the edge of the good P-Zeros after just 2 or 3 weekends. So, it might be smartest to keep them fresh and pick up a set of lightly used tires - like Michelin Cup 2s or the Dunlop Race Maxx. If you do go the used route, make sure they have not been patched and you want tires where the outside edges are in good shape - ones that have not been on track. You can drive these to and from the track, and they are fine on wet street and track, just DO NOT drive them over puddles as they can not displace water like your P-Zeros.

Spot-on advice @matttheboatman . Looking at doing just that for exactly what you outlined.

Yikes. It’s not worth the risk of running 8-year-old tires on the track... to you or those around you.

P ZERO Trofeo R + APEXpro % Factor
 

Mounted up a set of slightly used (By Me, 2 heat cycles?) Trofeo R tires for Laguna Seca this weekend, 7/21....only ran 2 runs.....had to go home..The Trofeo Rs were quicker than Hoosier R7s this weekend, for me. 1:44.83 (76%)* on the Trofeo Rs, 1:46.5 on the R7 (78%)* run on 7/20.
* = the APEXpro car performance factor.

I occasionally do Tech at our local track,, 8 year old date codes would be a no go.... 4 or less on DOTS and < 2 on Race tires. YMMV... :D

Good to know, my Corsa’s date stamped 2011 bought for $109 ea due to being 4 years old at the time.

now I know why

Back in 2015 i found they had better traction over 5 laps in the wet than in the dry due to overheating in 3 laps on dry track

now they have no bite unless a very hot track

no longer 60 R compound more like a 600 all season in perceived hardness

not sure where this info came from but oil in the pavement of a track comes from the engines of the cars driving on the tracks for years dropping oil. Slick tires do not create oil in the track...although they are made from petroleum products.

and were these 8 year old Nitto tires NT01s? that is what everyone here is guessing btw.