Just thought Id share my first impressions on my first track day in the GT3 and early comparisons V my old CSL ...
Had a fooking awesome day yesterday, 28c sunshine, last min decision to jump onto a RMA day, which was pretty quiet so loads of good track time on the GP circuit..
Im approx three months into the GT3 and until yesterday was pretty 50/50 with it compared to my 4/5 years ownership with the CSL.. had been thinking for the huge step up in money I've spent on the 997 v CSL was it worth it ( could buy two CSL's ) ! and not enjoying it as much as I thought and v CSL pretty much on a par ..
Do I go back ?
Yesterday's tracking made me realise why I had made the jump, to be honest I had only used the car daily and not really done any long twisty runs of note, and no TD's .. and also was a little bit wary of it, so was not relaxed in it which didn't help.
The CSL by comparison is pretty easy to drive quickly, track and road and fills you with confidence in all conditions, still a very special car for the money now and nothing compares for mid 20k outlay.
Luckily I went with two mates, one who is currently racing in the GT3 Cup but is also double british Rally X champion used to peddling 6R4's sideways so he spent a great deal of time with me firstly showing what the car can do on the limits and then pushing me to explore the car on the limits, and pushing me also had some time with a silverstone instructor to get the lines together..
As you know the circuit is a very fast one especially the GP so perfect conditions only negative was running nearly shod bridgestones on it currently, until the Supersports arrive, but by the end of the day the car felt awesome and more importantly I felt confident in it on the edge...
Now I have done a season racing in the CSL cup, loads of ring trips - TD'S the early days of my ownership in the CSL less so after my season racing, so used to slicks and pushing on the limits but the GT3 defies the law of physics in the corners if you bury the throttle through the corner as it grips more and turns in tighter than if you just drive round at the speed you enter holding the throttle steady, took some 2 hours to get mind over matter on this point, approaching fast corner at speed, just a dab of brake and flat out round the corner with peddle buried and the thing just comes to you and holds and grips like nothing I've driven before ...simply awesome to feel and get bang on !
Also learnt to heal and toe finally as you don't get to do that in the CSL and that made a huge difference in the corners ..
Summary GT3 is the best car I've owned, can't see me replacing it with anything, you need to learn it properly and have someone who knows it show you what it can do...have confidence in the sheer grip levels at speed and NEVER back off even if it feels like it's going sideways, I've got to now just do a few more TD's and build the confidence and my ability in it...
The car felt totally different on the way home and today, as im now driving it and its not driving me, feel confident with it and now know what it can do and how to respect it ... The CSL is awesome and always will be... GT3 is a very different car and for me, the next step UP, give's you that edgy, tingly feeling that you need to learn it and a challenge I've been looking for in a car.
The GT3 is a very special car indeed and glad I decided to make the jump :smt055
Some iPhone pics from yesterday .. just waiting on the on track ones to be sent ...
Had a fooking awesome day yesterday, 28c sunshine, last min decision to jump onto a RMA day, which was pretty quiet so loads of good track time on the GP circuit..
Im approx three months into the GT3 and until yesterday was pretty 50/50 with it compared to my 4/5 years ownership with the CSL.. had been thinking for the huge step up in money I've spent on the 997 v CSL was it worth it ( could buy two CSL's ) ! and not enjoying it as much as I thought and v CSL pretty much on a par ..
Do I go back ?
Yesterday's tracking made me realise why I had made the jump, to be honest I had only used the car daily and not really done any long twisty runs of note, and no TD's .. and also was a little bit wary of it, so was not relaxed in it which didn't help.
The CSL by comparison is pretty easy to drive quickly, track and road and fills you with confidence in all conditions, still a very special car for the money now and nothing compares for mid 20k outlay.
Luckily I went with two mates, one who is currently racing in the GT3 Cup but is also double british Rally X champion used to peddling 6R4's sideways so he spent a great deal of time with me firstly showing what the car can do on the limits and then pushing me to explore the car on the limits, and pushing me also had some time with a silverstone instructor to get the lines together..
As you know the circuit is a very fast one especially the GP so perfect conditions only negative was running nearly shod bridgestones on it currently, until the Supersports arrive, but by the end of the day the car felt awesome and more importantly I felt confident in it on the edge...
Now I have done a season racing in the CSL cup, loads of ring trips - TD'S the early days of my ownership in the CSL less so after my season racing, so used to slicks and pushing on the limits but the GT3 defies the law of physics in the corners if you bury the throttle through the corner as it grips more and turns in tighter than if you just drive round at the speed you enter holding the throttle steady, took some 2 hours to get mind over matter on this point, approaching fast corner at speed, just a dab of brake and flat out round the corner with peddle buried and the thing just comes to you and holds and grips like nothing I've driven before ...simply awesome to feel and get bang on !
Also learnt to heal and toe finally as you don't get to do that in the CSL and that made a huge difference in the corners ..
Summary GT3 is the best car I've owned, can't see me replacing it with anything, you need to learn it properly and have someone who knows it show you what it can do...have confidence in the sheer grip levels at speed and NEVER back off even if it feels like it's going sideways, I've got to now just do a few more TD's and build the confidence and my ability in it...
The car felt totally different on the way home and today, as im now driving it and its not driving me, feel confident with it and now know what it can do and how to respect it ... The CSL is awesome and always will be... GT3 is a very different car and for me, the next step UP, give's you that edgy, tingly feeling that you need to learn it and a challenge I've been looking for in a car.
The GT3 is a very special car indeed and glad I decided to make the jump :smt055
Some iPhone pics from yesterday .. just waiting on the on track ones to be sent ...
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