Handing/traction control questions on track-clio 200 cup

[The Wizard]

I know there are some experienced track day goers on here, so hopefully a simple answer for one or two of you. Having owned a standard 205 GTI in the past and had a blast on British B roads and lapping the Nurburgring, I can thoroughly see the resemblance in handling between these two cars, it's bloody fantastic.

Friday was the first outing on track at Donington in the clio in my ownership. For the first session I left the ESP/ASR(?) activated. Not having a diff it did help it pull out of corners without being intrusive but I did have a brown trouser moment down through Craner when, what I think was, the car seemed to decide to brake individual wheels for me. The remainder of the evening I ensured it was switched off and thoroughly enjoyed being flat through Craner feeling the car slide but completely controllable and reacting to my inputs before braking in a strait line for the right hander.

Anyone experience something similar?

 

[GrumpyTwig]

Yup, one wheel slightly on a greasy/bumpy apex into a 80-90mph corner. Bit of slip on the front left wheel, car tries to correct this by dropping the throttle slightly....... lift off oversteer at 80+ is interesting and fun if you catch it in time

Always ran with it all off after that.

 

[The Wizard]

Yup, one wheel slightly on a greasy/bumpy apex into a 80-90mph corner. Bit of slip on the front left wheel, car tries to correct this by dropping the throttle slightly....... lift off oversteer at 80+ is interesting and fun if you catch it in time

Always ran with it all off after that.

Ahh, ok. So it reduces power overall, to counteract the slippage? It only happened the once, and I wasn't prepared to let the system show me again!

 

[Fernandez]

I had the same happen to me round Redgate at Donington with the esp. Natural instinct is to correct it yourself with steering and throttle but the car didn't like it at all. I tried it again coming into redgate to hot and just let the car do its thing and it settled almost immediately. The ESP is rather good thf.

 

[ken182]

I always leave the ESP off on the track. It's ultimately faster and I think more predictable as the car won't try and intervene when grip is lost.