Porsche and Michelin have co-developed a new tire specially designed for circuit use in wet and low-temperature conditions. The Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 is a road-legal track tire for the 992 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, focusing on circuit use in wet and cold conditions.
“We are responding to demand from our particularly performance-focused customers that have expressed a desire to spend more time on track during spring and autumn,” said Andreas Preuninger, director GT Vehicles at Porsche. “The new tires significantly increase the annual usage period of the GT3 RS.”
The Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 bears the ‘N’ marking reserved for tires specially developed for Porsche models. The sports car manufacturer now offers four specifications of Michelin tire for the 911 GT3 RS. The Pilot Sport S 5 is the counterpart to the ultra-high-performance (UHP) Pilot Sport Cup 2 R. It is also suitable as an everyday tire in countries with predominantly wet and cool weather conditions.
As part of the development of the new Pilot Sport S 5, since 2022, test drivers have been completing countless kilometers of testing at the Michelin Development Centre in Ladoux, France. Porsche Brand Ambassador Jörg Bergmeister has contributed to the fine-tuning of the tire.
A major development goal was optimization of the aquaplaning characteristics. To attain that, the tire features a tread pattern designed for wet conditions with four large central grooves with a depth of 7.4mm. Thanks to the tread depth, and the resulting increased proportion of negative tread, the tires are able to expel a greater volume of water.
“The tire, therefore, improves the stability of the vehicle and raises the threshold at which the tire starts to lose contact with the road (‘aquaplaning speed’),” said Mathieu Greco, a tire developer at Michelin.
A high proportion of silica in the rubber compound further improves grip on wet surfaces and ensures the tire gets up to operating temperature faster. The new Pilot Sport S 5 is stated to perform optimally between 5°C and 15°C. In these conditions, the wet-weather tire offers a level of grip and precision that would not be achievable with Porsche-approved UHP tires for warmer conditions that works the best between 15°C 30°C.
“The Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 gets up to temperature very quickly,” said Bergmeister. “In wet conditions and low ambient temperatures, it offers outstanding levels of control and predictability when changing direction.”
The engineers have also adapted the material composition and geometry of the tire carcass and optimized the contact patch. As a result, the tires give a better feel for the limit during demanding driving situations. The result of all this means the 911 GT3 RS with the new tires is more than 10 seconds faster than the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 N0 tires fitted.
The tires were extensively tested at the Nürburgring and at Portimão in Portugal in dry weather and in ambient temperatures of more than 20°C, which ensures that the tire also offers a high level of performance outside its core operating window. The new tire is approved for road use and meets all legal requirements in terms of rolling resistance and noise levels.
The new Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 is initially available for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS in sizes 275/35 ZR 20 for the front axle and 335/30 ZR 21 for the rear. The tire will be distributed by Manthey, the performance specialist for Porsche GT models based in Meuspath at the Nürburgring.
