How can perfection be improved?
Track day tires can be difficult to drive in wet conditions, but they offer excellent grip when dry. Hydroplaning is a constant issue. The more tread blocks you remove, the more you will get. Jonathan Benson, Tyre Reviews’ latest video, takes a look at the differences in the Michelin Cup 2 versus Cup 2 R tires that were fitted to a Porsche GT3RS.
Benson was granted access to its Ladoux, France testing facility by the French tiremaker. The testing facility is located just north of Clermont-Ferrand’s offices. It has 20 proving circuits, and 45 km (28 miles) of asphalt. The tarmac can be soaked in a matter of seconds to allow you to see wet weather driving characteristics, just like many other tire testing locations around world.
Wet handling was therefore first looked at on the Cup 2 tire. Although it may seem silly, the possibility of hitting a storm on your way home from a trackday is real. The Cup 2 R has less tread and is therefore more difficult to handle in rain.
Although it might not be able to handle wet weather, the Cup 2 R was built with Porsche in order to propel the GT3 RS around the Nurburgring as fast as possible. This engineering prowess is evident with its dry weather performance. The tire’s superior performance makes up for the lack of degradation. Jonathan Benson from Tyre Reviews stated that the Cup 2’s excellent results were outweighed by the Cup 2’s superior braking performance, front grip and traction.
Both tires are extremely fast and capable, but they’re made for different purposes. The Cup 2 R is best for speed, while the Cup 2 R is better for daily driving your track car.