Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

How does the Model S compare with the Roadster Sport 2.0 on a racetrack?

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
How does the Model S compare with the Roadster Sport 2.0 on a racetrack?

I had the immense pleasure to participate at the 1st Swiss Energy Grand Prix! It was a race during the 3 day event „Lignieres Historique“ here in Switzerland. There were many different races for the different classic race cars. At the first day, in the evening when normally the engines have to shut down at the only Swiss race track the 1st Swiss race with pure electric cars started.
The permanent race track is rather small with 1,35 Km a lap, but it is a very technical circuit and a real race track.

It was a 100 Laps race and every team had to use one car and three drivers. Every driver had to do at least 20 laps and no more then 40 laps. There was a 55kW charging station at free disposal.
We had one hour of practice time at noon and the jury decided based on the lap times, on the power to weight ratio and on the capacity of the battery which team had which penalty.
Out of the 12 cars participating, there were „Smart Brabus“, Golf E, Renault Zoe, Mitsubishi iMiev, Nissan Leaf, a Tesla Model S and my Tesla Roadster Sport 2.0, 2010.

The Smart did not get any penalty. the Golf E started 8 minutes later, my roadster started 12 minutes later and the Models S ( P85 ) started 20 minutes later! From lap 60 to lap 98 my roadster was leading, at the end Model S did win with a 30 seconds advance on my roadster. It has to be mentioned that we started with a battery at only 80 % due to a problem with the charger, and the other cars started 100% charged. My car rolled over the finish line with no power. The Model S showed 5 laps before the end 0% capacity.
Neither the roadster nor the Model S did recharge.

But how do they compare on the track at real racing conditions:

Acceleration: Roadster much faster
Braking: Model S: Much better
Cornering speed: It looks like the roadster is much faster
Cooling: 30 rounds later, the roadster did overheat and the power was reduced. Model S did not overheat
Consumption: Model S significantly higher
Fun: Even the winner with the Model S said: Next time I will join with the roadster
 
I can comment here, since I have both cars, and have run both on the same racetrack and drag raced them both...

Acceleration: Roadster much faster

I disagree on this point. Roadster is faster in the 1/8th mile, and similar in the 1/4 mile. Model S totally blows away the Roadster after that. Model S keeps pulling fairly well until it hits its max speed, Roadster totally wimps out above 160 kph. Model S top speed is at least 20 kph faster, and you actually get there in less than a mile. I've never been on a straight long enough to get the Roadster to its top rated speed (if it can actually get there).

Braking: Model S: Much better

With stock Lotus pads on the Roadster, yes. With Carbotechs on the Roadster, nope.

Cornering speed: It looks like the roadster is much faster

Model S is surprisingly good, but yes Roadster is better on cornering.

Cooling: 30 rounds later, the roadster did overheat and the power was reduced. Model S did not overheat

Drag racing, sure. Road track racing, Roadster blows away Model S. Model S starts backing the power down on the first lap, and is seriously crippled after two laps. Roadster will last a few laps before power limits are becoming annoying.

Model S does cool down quite a bit faster, though.

Consumption: Model S significantly higher

That's why the bigger battery!
 
I can comment here, since I have both cars, and have run both on the same racetrack and drag raced them both...



I disagree on this point. Roadster is faster in the 1/8th mile, and similar in the 1/4 mile. Model S totally blows away the Roadster after that. Model S keeps pulling fairly well until it hits its max speed, Roadster totally wimps out above 160 kph. Model S top speed is at least 20 kph faster, and you actually get there in less than a mile. I've never been on a straight long enough to get the Roadster to its top rated speed (if it can actually get there).



With stock Lotus pads on the Roadster, yes. With Carbotechs on the Roadster, nope.



Model S is surprisingly good, but yes Roadster is better on cornering.



Drag racing, sure. Road track racing, Roadster blows away Model S. Model S starts backing the power down on the first lap, and is seriously crippled after two laps. Roadster will last a few laps before power limits are becoming annoying.

Model S does cool down quite a bit faster, though.

Well, Doug everything depends on the racetrack! I don't like drag racing, so can not comment on it. But for sure the acceleration of the roadster on our ( small ) racetrack was far superior in my roadster compared to the Model S P85. The longest straight was about 250 meters, the highest speeds were ( I guess ) lower then 120 Km/h.
I have no Carbotech pads, the owner of the Model S has them ( on his roadster ) and still has the feeling that the Model S brakes better. I do not know.
After 30 rounds my Roadster powered down because of overheating. The Model S did not power down at any time ( that is what the Model S drivers said ).
 
Right, on a tiny track the Roadster will have a big advantage, because the Roadster is faster at low speeds and turns better. The tracks I've been on are 3.6 km long (Laguna Seca), 4 km long (Shannonville) and 5 km long (Calabogie), and all three have much longer straights. I hit 215 kph on the back straight at Calabogie in my C6, a bit slower in the Model S. Mind you, even these are relatively technical tracks compared to, say, Mosport (now CTMP).

I'm guessing the Model S has enough cooling capacity to handle the slower speeds of a small track, but gets too hot at a higher speed track.

After a dozen laps at Shannonville my Roadster was really slow, worse than a Miata lol. I went into the pits to cool down at that point, because it was getting boringly slow. So I never got to shutdown, and really wouldn't ever push it that far.