Which tire is the best for hardcore tracks?
Tires are the most important part of a car. It depends on whom you ask, but there is one thing certain. It doesn’t matter how much work is done in the greenhouse or under the skin. But it does not matter if the vehicle has poor connectivity to the road. YouTube Tyre Reviews has proven time and again that not all tires can be considered equal. This video shows that this conclusion is true for hardcore track tires.
The video shows the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 compared to the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport RS, and Pirelli Zero Trofeo. The test car is a corner-straightening Porsche 911 GT3RS. They get a lot of exercise .
This comprehensive evaluation involved two sets of tires. One set was dedicated to wet handling, dry braking and wet braking. The second set was strictly for dry handling. It was evaluated over multiple laps to determine initial grip and then the tire temperature. You might think Michelin is the winner because it tests at their track.
We’ll leave the details to the video as there is a lot to discuss. The Michelins and Goodyears performed very well in wet conditions. However, Goodyears had a little more understeer because of hydroplaning at their front. Hydroplaning at rear was a problem with the Pirelli tires. This required some sawing, but the Pirellis felt more manageable. The Pirellis were able to run faster wet-track laps than other tires because of this. Wet braking was also better.
It’s different in dry conditions. The Michelins were sharper and had more grip than the Goodyears, and they ultimately returned the fastest lap times for both the first lap and the follow-up laps. The Goodyears came in second, with the Goodyears actually finishing the first lap exactly like the Michelins. The tires felt less secure on the roads and times got steeper as the time went on. Although the Pirellis were slowest among the group, they displayed the most desirable characteristics drivers love. They were predictable and manageable which gives drivers more confidence to push the limits and have fun.
Michelin also received Braking Excellence, even though all three tires performed similarly. The Pirellis were third in handling but by a narrow margin. They also outperformed the Goodyears with more temperature.
What’s the verdict? Both Michelin and Goodyear designed their tires with the 911 GT3 RS as their target. They are OE tires, which means they have a tendency to understeer in wet conditions and sharper characteristics when dry. The Pirellis had the best performance in wet conditions, with the slowest dry times, but they were easy to handle in all weather conditions. Although they might not be optimized for GT3 RS, the end result is more manageable and comfortable.