Tire Test Highlights Differences Between High-Performance Road And Race Rubber
Motorsport

Tire Test Highlights Differences Between High-Performance Road And Race Rubber

Tire Test Highlights Differences Between High-Performance Road And Race Rubber

Finding the right tire for your car goes beyond just picking the correct size. Numerous manufacturers produce a variety of options with unique benefits and detriments. Not all tires are created equal, and a new video pits the recently launched Bridgestone Potenza Race tire against two other family members – the Potenza Sport and the Potenza RE-71RS.

In this test, the Potenza Sport is considered the mainstream tire designed for most people and most driving situations, competing with the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. On the other hand, the Potenza Race is the sportier tire that combines the experience of the Sport and the RE-71RS into one.

The Potenza Sport provided crisp and dynamic steering in the Honda Civic Si without much road noise. However, compared to the Potenza Race tire, it felt sluggish during the test, according to reviewer Jonathan Benson.

Initially, Benson was disappointed with the Race tire, a rival of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, because it felt sluggish at speeds under 20 miles per hour but performed well at 30 mph and above. However, he found it difficult to find anything to criticize about the tire as Bridgestone kept the noise, vibration, and harshness in check without sacrificing comfort compared to the Potenza Sport.

The European Union label supports these findings, indicating that the Race tire has a slightly lower decibel rating than the Sport tire. The Race tires are as comfortable as the Sport tires but slightly stiffer when driving over harsher road imperfections.

According to Benson, the Potenza RE-71RS is lovely to drive but not suitable for everyday use. Bridgestone designed this tire to maximize lap times, even though it’s road-legal.

The Potenza Sport is not the best tire for the track as it doesn’t perform well under hard pushing. It tends to heat up quickly, resulting in slower lap times and increased degradation. On the other hand, the Potenza Race tires take some time to heat up on the track but provide a pleasant driving experience. The RE-71RS also heats up quickly and performs well on the track.