Track days and ESP on?

I suggest not turning the nannies off unless you have good experience with the car and how to recover, if you are new or inexperienced it will catch the car before you realize you lost it. The RS's nannies usually fairly generous in terms of the slip angle they'll allow, especially in the track and drift modes.

That said, as you gain experience they do become a hindrance, stepping in when un-wanted, once you get the to level where you can recognize the rotation of the car, and expect it to happen, then its time to turn the nannies off and begin exploring both yours and the car's limits.

Often times I'll forget to turn them off, and just as the rear rotates the way I like it, and I feed in opposite steering, the stability kicks I and straightens the car out or takes power away, ruining my fun.

Stability stays on in all the modes. You have to turn it off yourself by holding down the traction control button.

^This. ESP will always be on unless you turn off TC completely.

mikael.fang said:

One other issue I see is that the track day insurance doesnt cover if the vehicle catches fire on its own. How have you prepared for that? I know all in life comes with a risk but for me to loose my value of my RS would be a big issue.

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Install a fire extinguisher in your car. I have this that locates it in the passenger foot well, making it quickly accessible from the driver side. Also, grab an automotive/marine grade fire extinguisher that is meant for electrical and flamable liquids (Class B?) I believe they also come in variants that don't leave residue (CO2? you'll have to do your research, it's been a while for me)

Similar to what @thirdgen89gta said, learn the car with the nannies all on until you can tell what they are doing and can feel them. I had about 8-10 track days at the same track in mine and got to the point where I was legit faster per lap with TC off. I hit a faster lap but was more inconsistent with ESP off also, so I left it on more often than not. I drove my car to the track and then home after so I am a bit conservative.

I would turn all the nannies completely off, personally. When I did track school the instructors insisted on it. Much later I accidentally left it on for a session and it felt good, but the brakes got so hot I went off at the end of the front straight. They hardly fade at all with ESP off as long as pads are fresh. The car is very forgiving for a novice anyway. Just go at a pace you are comfortable with and enjoy yourself, don't approach it with a sense of fear. You'll get faster and more confident naturally in time.