I recently pulled some Garmin P1 data to share, which mirrors the same story as my AIM data. While AIM is often considered the gold standard for accuracy, Garmin holds up quite well. Below is a breakdown of my findings while testing two different tire setups on the KMiata.
Car Setup:
- KMiata: Stock power, 4.3 diff, 5-speed, 2200 lbs with driver
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Tires Tested:
- Blue Line (CRS V2): 245/40/15
- White Line (P1): 285/30/15
Test Conditions:
- Two runs on the same day, just a few hours apart with no changes in weather or track conditions.
- The first hot lap on the Vitour P1 was at around 90% pace because the tire needed some heat to start working. On lap one, the P1 clocked in at 2:14, but after warming up, it came into grip and got progressively faster. Despite claims from others that the P1 falls off after one lap, my experience—and that of many others—suggests otherwise. In fact, many drivers hit their fastest lap during the final lap of a 15-minute session.
Key Findings:
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Heat and Tire Performance: The P1 took a lap to warm up, but once it did, it was consistently on pace. Contrary to some reports, I didn’t experience a fall-off in grip after one lap. The tire actually got faster as the session progressed.
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Not a Size Test: This test wasn’t about comparing the P1 to the CRS V2—it was about comparing the 245mm vs. 285mm sizes. The P1 is a shorter tire, meaning it ran out of gear sooner. The car could benefit from a 4.10 diff to regain some of the speed at the top of 4th gear.
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Lateral Grip: Despite being 40mm wider, the P1’s lateral grip wasn’t any better than the CRS. In fact, I feel that size for size, the CRS makes more lateral grip.
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Braking Ability: The P1 had better braking ability than the CRS, which I suspect is due to the wider track width and the fact that the car lacks ABS. The biggest difference in lap times came from being able to stay on the throttle deeper into braking zones. Analyzing the data, all my gains came from braking later and harder, not from higher apex speeds despite having 160mm more tire width.
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G-Force and Compound: Surprisingly, the P1 didn’t produce higher G-force numbers despite having a 40mm wider contact patch than the CRS. This suggests that the P1’s compound is on par with or possibly even harder than the A052 and CRS V2, proving it’s a legitimate 200TW tire.
Overall Thoughts:
- The P1 seems to be a longer-lasting tire with good heat tolerance and a cheaper price point. While it’s not necessarily faster than the top 200TW tires like the CRS V2 or A052, it’s on par with them.
- The biggest advantage of the Vitour P1 is that it’s available in sizes that other manufacturers don’t offer, and it’s as much a 200TW tire as its competitors. For this reason, there’s no reason why the P1 should be excluded from any competition that allows 200TW tires.
Conclusion:
The Vitour P1 is a reliable, affordable option for drivers looking for a true 200TW tire that performs well, lasts longer, and comes in hard-to-find sizes. It holds its own against competitors like the CRS V2 and A052, especially in braking performance and heat management.
