PSM for track use. On or off?
Discussion
Try leaving it on.
The fastest laps are done with the car "on the edge" constantly. If you find you push it over the edge you lose time. Either by sliding or by sliding and having the PSM kick in. If you drive around the circuit with PSM continually complaining you will be losing a LOT of time. So try leaving it on as a safety net and see how fast you can go without it having to do any work - its designed to kick in very late anyway.
Oh...and the switch it off and have some slidy fun. I'll doubt if its quicker, though.
The fastest laps are done with the car "on the edge" constantly. If you find you push it over the edge you lose time. Either by sliding or by sliding and having the PSM kick in. If you drive around the circuit with PSM continually complaining you will be losing a LOT of time. So try leaving it on as a safety net and see how fast you can go without it having to do any work - its designed to kick in very late anyway.
Oh...and the switch it off and have some slidy fun. I'll doubt if its quicker, though.
DanH said:
Thats true, an incompetent driver with PSM is probably quicker than an incompetent one without
Actually - I doubt that PSM helps an "incompetent" driver go quicker at all. It *does* help to keep 'em on the black bit when they overcook it.
As to a "competent" driver - will they be able to go much faster with it switched off? Maybe...they'll certainly be able to slide it around more.
Don said:
DanH said:
Thats true, an incompetent driver with PSM is probably quicker than an incompetent one without
Actually - I doubt that PSM helps an "incompetent" driver go quicker at all. It *does* help to keep 'em on the black bit when they overcook it.
As to a "competent" driver - will they be able to go much faster with it switched off? Maybe...they'll certainly be able to slide it around more.
It allows them to exist much closer to the limit without falling off. I've seen 996 TTs at track days driven very poorly, but still with reasonable pace, when in fact they should be being pulled out of the kittylitter.
Raven Flyer said:
DanH said:
Thats true, an incompetent driver with PSM is probably quicker than an incompetent one without
And a competent driver shouldn't be able to tell if its on or off, as it won't kick in.
That depends on how conservative it is. I think it has been fairly well proven that a good driver can outperform it.
Have I offended the PSM owners club?

Certainly not offended.
I've just a hundred and something track days and on some days I have wanted to be quick, on others I have wanted to be sideways everywhere. I have never been in the gravel, but I have taken some grass over the years. Wet grass at Croft, at 110mph is not something you never forget.
If I was looking for a very fast time, I suspect I would have it switched on. The basis for this would be that I would be very, very close to the edge and falling off would happen in a spectacular way.
Some people are fast, some people are so fast that they only just make every corner of the track. My wife is in the second category and I do not enjoy siting next to her, on track.
Really though, we are talking about the last 1 or 2% of what's possible and track days should be quite that serious.
I've just a hundred and something track days and on some days I have wanted to be quick, on others I have wanted to be sideways everywhere. I have never been in the gravel, but I have taken some grass over the years. Wet grass at Croft, at 110mph is not something you never forget.
If I was looking for a very fast time, I suspect I would have it switched on. The basis for this would be that I would be very, very close to the edge and falling off would happen in a spectacular way.
Some people are fast, some people are so fast that they only just make every corner of the track. My wife is in the second category and I do not enjoy siting next to her, on track.
Really though, we are talking about the last 1 or 2% of what's possible and track days should be quite that serious.
steve rance said:
I drove a 997S around bedford with and without it switched on and the car was quite a bit quicker with it off. It gets in the way quite a lot actually thought no doubt it's very good on the road.
How did it get in the way, Steve? I'm very interested as you should know what you're on about! I've a day at Bedford booked later this year and would be very interested to try a switched-on then a switched-off lap and look for whatever effects you describe.
Don said:
steve rance said:
I drove a 997S around bedford with and without it switched on and the car was quite a bit quicker with it off. It gets in the way quite a lot actually thought no doubt it's very good on the road.
How did it get in the way, Steve? I'm very interested as you should know what you're on about! I've a day at Bedford booked later this year and would be very interested to try a switched-on then a switched-off lap and look for whatever effects you describe.
Mainly, It prevents you from getting the power down early on the exit of corners but it reins you in just about everywhere.
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