niels007

Hi (real) drivers!

Especially those who take their z06 to trackdays; to what sort of a degree can it oversteer on lift off? I'm interested to know in what situations, if at all, a z06 can lift off oversteer. For example:

What happens if you're mid corner, on the power, find out that you went on the gas too soon and lift off?

What happens if you lift off and steer into a corner at the same time, does this perhaps trigger oversteer and at what speeds / gears?

Are you ever afraid to let go of the gas or is the car actually quite stable when you do so on a track?

All experiences are welcome, also how it might relate to a regular or z51 c6 if you happen to have experience with that model!

Thanks a bunch,
Niels

Viscerl

At 10/10ths this doesnt typically happen to me. I find that a shift forward in weight in my car on A6s with the otherwise stock suspension creates a slight understeer (if anything at all). A oversteer on lift condition actually might be usefull, since I am typically struggling to rotate the car as fast as possible and that usually means rolling on the throttle through the apex and avoiding deep braking. Deep braking doesnt rotate the car for me.

This is one of (in my opinion) the great balance points of the car. I can lift of brake and steer in an attempt to hang on the outside of the adhesion circle really well, primarily because the threshold zones seem pretty huge. If I get it wrong and am still braking late/turning hard too early, I'm generally only met with a balanced slide or light push. This benign balance is exactly what makes the track ballet so pleasant in this car (and such a nervous experience in any of our ***-engined German cousins).

I havent driven a Z51 C6, but I understand that it is also an excellently balanced car. The Z06 really does feel like it was built for the guy who loves to drive a long way to a track and then drive 9-10/10ths all day and then cruise home.

I have nothing but praise for the balance of the car.

patton

when i do it wrong i get the push [understeer] when i do it right i get that nice drift feeling but lifting in a turn is a no no

allanlaw

The Z is very easy to drive on the track. We all have enjoyed the subtle way we can affect steering through a corner by subtle changes in throttle position. But even given the Z's excellent handling, if you abruptly get on or off the gas at speed when not pointed straight, you will have some excitement . . .

allanlaw

You were bit by the fact that at the exit of turn 3, if you unwind too slowly and get over too far track left, you hit a patch of off-camber pavement. Your first thought is that you are going to hit the wall on the left, so a bit of overcorrection and then you're in big trouble (ditch on the right of the track). I always remind my students to mentally remember to unwind from turn 3 smoothly and early (heading up toward the "B" in the Budweiser sign on the Budweiser Balcony). In conclusion, it was you and the track, NOT the car. If we find ourselves at WSIR together some time, ask me to show you what I mean.

niels007

Captain454, though it seemed to me you where on the gas at the time the back stepped out a bit? Mind you at those low revs you'd not expect that, though Allan's explanation could be spot on.

I suppose not many of you get it into your minds to lift off suddenly in a steady state long corner at 6500revs in 2nd or 3rd, and rightly so of course!

There is some debate on a *virtual* Corvette z06, for a race simulation ( read about it here: http://www.rfactorcentral.com/detail...0Corvette%20C6 ) where people complain about a lack of lift off oversteer. I make the car's physics and we've got a scary amount of real data on the car so the handling is pretty much the result of a pretty fair assumption of the car broke down into tyre curves, torque curves, aero lift, etc etc.

Considering the near 50:50 weight distribution, low centre of gravity and wide rear tyres, I can't imagine when you suddenly lift in a steady state corner in 2nd or 3rd gear ~6500rpm that you'd suddenly do a 180. The load is on one side, and lift off doesn't cause THAT much weight transfer to the front to really cause oversteer. I doubt any real roadcar has things like the rollbars setup so near the limit that lifting off causes yaw to increase and the car to spin if nothing is done. A european ' hot hatch' might, and perhaps an old 911 with its short wheelbase and very heavy rear end might. But a stock Z06 I doubt.

A german test driver, Tim Schrikk tends to say that lifting off isn't enough in todays 'supercars', but he uses a technique of lifting and turning in, while also braking a little, which causes weight transfer to the front to brake the rears loose and get oversteer. Mind you that is for a tallented driver who drives cars he doesn't own..

Viscerl

Thats generally how one starts "drifting" or a non-E-brake way to oversteer around a corner rally style. Once you get even a slight hang of it, it doesn't take much talent. Once or twice I've done it even at an AutoX as an instructor to show people how slow their agressive driving is. Unfortunately its also the slow way around the track. Tiff N and Jeremy certainly impress the public with their goofy rear tire destruction, but you'd never see the Stig driving like that...

Dirty Howie

If you look at the vid that Carlos posted following me in the WSIR thread, you will see I did the same thing


DH

Cloaked323

I've done it right there and gone off the track, turned in too tight and didn't straighten out the wheel, I got suck into the off camber that is on the left side of the track there. I'll see if I can find the video. the track temp was in the 40's or 50's I was running pilot sport cups that were cold it was my 2nd lap. There were other contributing factors all my fault. If you every drive slow enough you will see that T-3 turn has claimed a lot of cars. If you just take it right then you will have almost no problem.