Why The Stig slides somewhat in his Power Lap corners while road racers don't?

[Big time]

Maybe because Top Gear test track is designed specifically to upset handling and break traction?

Maybe while Stig-style sliding is faster it actually creates too much tire wear for road racing? But maybe still enough tire wear for qualifying laps?

[Dino Scuderia]

Originally Posted by Big time

Maybe because Top Gear test track is designed specifically to upset handling and break traction?

Maybe while Stig-style sliding is faster it actually creates too much tire wear for road racing? But maybe still enough tire wear for qualifying laps?

Plenty of sideways driving in GT qualifying. I've seen Jaime Melo drift the 430 GT2 through T1 at Mosport for example. You can get away with higher limits when going for one hot lap but you don't do that in race pace.

[Matra et Alpine]

When racing at the limit on a track you know VERY well a racing driver will often exceed the tyre grip levels and end up with drift. Four wheel is the most balanced and front the less noticable before corrected. So the Stig has an advantage. BUT when racing you wont generally take that much of risk as too much depends on it AND it's on race tyres - another whole difference

Also drift/slide in racing is different from what anyone wants to acheive in touge/driftin ..... not sure which cars or series you're compairing B_T

[Sledgehammer]

I would also think the tires to be cool and therefore, a lower friction coo efficient making the tires let go sooner than racing slicks. That and he's the Stig...

[culver]

It's all in the tires. Look at pictures of older race cars and you will see they have more slip angle in the tires vs the modern cars.

[pimento]

Ya, the Shtig is doing it on road tyres, which are a different story than race tyres. It also looks better on camera, so the lap shown will include showy shots that weren't necessarily part of the lap that produced the time. They also do that with the guest laps.

[acfsambo]

Also in a race, sliding wears down your tyres faster, which means slower lap times.

[kingofthering]

The Stig only needs to do one power lap and not have to worry about double/triple-stinting his tires.

[acfsambo]

Also, is the lap they show the one they timed, or just the best for TV?

[pimento]

Originally Posted by acfsambo

Also, is the lap they show the one they timed, or just the best for TV?

Originally Posted by pimento

Ya, the Shtig is doing it on road tyres, which are a different story than race tyres. It also looks better on camera, so the lap shown will include showy shots that weren't necessarily part of the lap that produced the time. They also do that with the guest laps.

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[LHamilton_w]

IMO on TG Power Laps, the Stig pushes the cars beyond their limits, which is the point of the Power Laps I suppose: to not only see how fast the cars can do a single standing lap, but also pushing beyond the car's limits exposes potential weaknesses in the car.

On the other hand, in a race, it is more about consistency and, as many of you mentioned, preserving the tires so they last the entire stint during a race. If any of you watched Formula 1 this season (and I'm guessing a lot of you have), you know exactly what I'm talking about.

[Fiatpwr]

The original drifters were Nuvolari and then Fangio. They were pretty quick.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by pimento

Ya, the Shtig is doing it on road tyres, which are a different story than race tyres. It also looks better on camera, so the lap shown will include showy shots that weren't necessarily part of the lap that produced the time. They also do that with the guest laps.

This.