Cooper RS3 grooved racing slick

[Blair Robertshaw]

hello all, has anyone tried the new Cooper Tire RS3 grooved racing slick that Pro Mazda is about to use (at least) for their shoot out qualifying rounds?

[mikey]

not yet - I hear it is softer than the regular slick they've had

also saw Tatuus will be building the next car for the series

[FrankRizzo]

also saw Tatuus will be building the next car for the series

What is to become of Star then? Any idea?

[Fred Michael]

Club Racing

[kflyer]

Club Racing

Bummed they didn't re-design/update the current car. You going to COTA nest week Fred?

[FrankRizzo]

hello all, has anyone tried the new Cooper Tire RS3 grooved racing slick that Pro Mazda is about to use (at least) for their shoot out qualifying rounds?

Are there pictures of these demons anywhere? For Cooper to be a title sponsor, they sure don't advertise their racing products very well. It's almost like they only want to make slicks for THEIR series, and no one else.

[Fred Michael]

Bummed they didn't re-design/update the current car. You going to COTA nest week Fred?

No COTA for me. I am on the Formula E program at this point. Getting ready for Uraguay in December.
You going to make COTA?

[Fred Michael]

Are there pictures of these demons anywhere? For Cooper to be a title sponsor, they sure don't advertise their racing products very well. It's almost like they only want to make slicks for THEIR series, and no one else.

Have not seen them yet.
Pretty sure that Cooper IS only interested in THEIR series. It is a marketing program for their street tires, much like Firestone for Indycar.

For Club racing, run the Goodyears, they're faster but fall off quicker than the Coopers do, unless we are talking the oval tires in which case the Cooper is a better tire in all aspects.

[kflyer]

No COTA for me. I am on the Formula E program at this point. Getting ready for Uraguay in December.
You going to make COTA?

Yep! Leaving for Texas tomorrow. Always wanted to race COTA. I guess a test will have to do for now. Hopefully they schedule a race there soon. Good luck with the Formula E!

[Blair Robertshaw]

you can see a pic of the tire on the main page of the Cooper Tire Pro Mazda Championship home page. its the 4th slide in the home page slide show, just a shot of some cars running the tire...

[Fred Michael]

you can see a pic of the tire on the main page of the Cooper Tire Pro Mazda Championship home page. its the 4th slide in the home page slide show, just a shot of some cars running the tire...

Nope. Those are full rains at the Toronto Race 2.

[Blair Robertshaw]

http://www.promazdachampionship.com/...ules-announced

these are rains?

[Fred Michael]

http://www.promazdachampionship.com/...ules-announced

these are rains?

Yes they are. My personal weekend from Hell.
My car is third in the picture.

[Fred Michael]

Also, where did you get the idea they are grooved slicks?
I have not payed close attention for the past couple months but the only tire I know of that was tested for the shootout was definitely not grooved.
I could be wrong though, been REALLY busy with the Formula E stuff the last few weeks.

[Blair Robertshaw]

if you go to their site and read through some of the news you will see a paragraph that mentions them switching to a grooved slick for the new Shoot Out qualifying program they are going to be doing.

BTW, how was that rain tire compared to a traditional tread pattern rain tire?

[Fred Michael]

I will have to read a bit more on the press releases.
The Cooper wet is a conventional rain tire with a very traditional tread pattern.

[Fred Michael]

Not the greatest picture but you can see the tread pattern.

[Blair Robertshaw]

Ok, I went back and re read. i thought it said grooved tire but it doesnt, only that a new compound will be used RS3 for the Shoot Out. My bad. I guess I was looking at the tire of the 3 cars, looked and saw what I thought was a grooved tire and I guess thought that was it.

You know, when ever I have raced in the rain I never have looked to see or noticed the tread pattern at speed and I guess it looks like the old F1 tires that were grooved. My bad, sorry guys

[FrankRizzo]

Not the greatest picture but you can see the tread pattern.

*GASP!* A PICTURE of the super secret Cooper tires! Quick, delete it before the men in black from Cooper show up, and torture you with a rubber hose!

[Fred Michael]

Hahaha. The Cooper guys and I have enough dirt on each other to preclude anything from happening.

[Blair Robertshaw]

That's not torture for some! Max Mosley comes to mind....

[Fred Michael]

if you go to their site and read through some of the news you will see a paragraph that mentions them switching to a grooved slick for the new Shoot Out qualifying program they are going to be doing.

BTW, how was that rain tire compared to a traditional tread pattern rain tire?

Performance wise they seem to be decent. Doesn't really matter when all your competitors are on the same tire. Comes down to a good setup and driver skill.
And sometimes who just guesses right on the conditions.

[Fred Michael]

In reading the press release again and double checking our competitor notices, the only series having a Fast 6 shootout and a special tire will be Indy Lights. The tires do not exist for any other series.