Track driving with one w/o ASR on; Which is better?

[USAFS4]

Edit: that's with "or" without. Gotta stop posting using my phone.

For those of you tracking your cars which produces better lap times, leaving ASR on or turning off (only first lvl of stability control switched off)? Also, do you see more tire wear with it off?

I used to think turning off was faster as the rear will rotate out a little. Now however I'm not sure. I thought allowing the rear to slide produced a more rear wheel drive attitude thru corners and thus overall higher speeds. But now I'm thinking all it does (turning ASR off) is cause the car to push thru the natural under steer the car has. Using ASR then actually maximizes Corning speeds by allowing for different wheel speeds, which counteracts push. It doesn't feel like a rear wheel drive car because the car doesn't 'sit' on the outside rear tire like I was taught to expect when maximizing cornering speed. You would then control rotation with the throttle.

If correct this means when cornering our AWD cars one should not point the nose at the apex upon turn in as they would in a RWD car. Rather one should drive around the corner rather than at the corner.

[superswiss]

ASR's sole purpose is to prevent loss of traction under acceleration by either cutting engine power or selectively applying the brakes to the spinning wheels. So, if one doesn't have fine enough throttle control, then ASR could help by maintaining proper traction when powering out of the corner. Rotating the car is more of a function of the sport differential. You don't say if your car has the sport diff. It should also be pointed out that starting with the B8.5, stability control works differently. The first level of ESP doesn't just turn of ASR, but it puts the entire ESP into Sport mode upping all the thresholds. Your issue might be the ESP cutting in at the low thresholds designed for public streets.

[USAFS4]

ASR's sole purpose is to prevent loss of traction under acceleration by either cutting engine power or selectively applying the brakes to the spinning wheels. So, if one doesn't have fine enough throttle control, then ASR could help by maintaining proper traction when powering out of the corner. Rotating the car is more of a function of the sport differential. You don't say if your car has the sport diff. It should also be pointed out that starting with the B8.5, stability control works differently. The first level of ESP doesn't just turn of ASR, but it puts the entire ESP into Sport mode upping all the thresholds. Your issue might be the ESP cutting in at the low thresholds designed for public streets.

Right, so turning ASR off simply allows the front tires to scrub/slide if the slip angle is too much for the front tires to maintain grip. So leaving ASR on isn't going to result in slower lap times, because if the car stops accelerating around the corner with it on than with it off it would just push, which might allow for acceleration but at the cost of going off line (and some tire tread).

[Docwyte]

If you're a novice track driver, leave it on. If you're an experienced track driver turn it off.

[USAFS4]

If you're a novice track driver, leave it on. If you're an experienced track driver turn it off.

I have experience which is why I'm asking for others experiences with rear diff. I have experience driving a Stg 3 B5 (tons of push) and I ran into the same discussion about how best to get around a corner whether in AWD or RWD. I now have experience in a RWD as my M coupe is my primary track weapon. And of what my past instructors have taught me has been from a RWD perspective (point and shoot, and throttle steer). However, when rain threatens or at Audi events my B8 is the car used. I would like some input on the different methods used for cornering a AWD car. And with the introduction of trick differentials and better weight balance in my B8 I'm wondering if you can drive it like a RWD car to optimize speed.

My observations thus far is NOT. It is definately WAY BETTER than my B5 ever was, which had a bespoke suspension. However if you turn off any or all traction control it still pushes like Audis of old.

[superswiss]

So it sounds like you do have the sport diff. The sport diff gives quattro RWD characteristics such as throttle steer, but you don't quite drive it like an RWD. Compared to RWD you enter the corner slower, but then go full throttle before hitting the apex to let the sport diff rotate the car and help you carve your exit line. While the sport diff works off throttle, it works best on throttle. The more throttle you give it, the more it rotates the car. So, if you're pushing over your front tires, then either you are entering the corner too fast, or you are not giving it enough throttle in time to let the sport diff counteract the inherit understeer.