Ultimate Supercar Cup Tire Showdown: Testing Performance Street Tires on a McLaren 720S
For drivers pushing the limits in events like a Supercar Cup or intense track days, the right tire makes all the difference. Modern technology has blurred the lines between dedicated race rubber and tires you can still drive on the street. These are tires designed for daily use in non-freezing conditions but engineered to deliver formidable motorsports performance – the definition of today’s streetable track and autocross tires. As various racing organizations have tailored rules around this category, tire manufacturers have significantly ramped up development to stay ahead of the competition.
Three high-performance track tires – Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect, Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3, and Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R – lined up for comparison testing.
From left to right: New contender Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect (240), new contender Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 and benchmark Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R. Photography Credit: Andy Hollis
The Test Car: A McLaren 720S
Selecting a suitable test vehicle for tires available in various sizes required something capable and versatile. We opted for a McLaren 720S, a supercar known for its incredible performance and a veteran of the rigorous One Lap of America competition. This particular car has a proven track record, being undefeated in three national events and securing a national title in the SCCA Time Trials Max 1 class, a category fittingly described as home for “dream cars, built or bought.”
A McLaren 720S supercar driving on a race track during high-performance tire testing.
Photography Credit: Perry Bennett
The McLaren 720S proved to be a consistent and manageable car, capable of handling large tire fitments. Its only modifications were track brake pads, an aggressive alignment setup, and Finspeed forged wheels that were an inch wider than the factory specifications (19×10-inch front, 20×12-inch rear). For this test, we ran 265mm tires up front and 305mm tires in the rear. For context on how the 720S stacks up against other top-tier machines, you might be interested in exploring the best supercars of the 21st century.
The Test Method
Before the timed sessions, all tires underwent a break-in process involving a mild heat cycling on a local cul-de-sac. The benchmark Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R received an additional 20-minute hard session at Driveway Austin, a known strategy based on years of experience showing this tire benefits from extra preparation.
Our testing venue was the recently repaved Harris Hill Raceway, a familiar track where we’ve accumulated extensive lap experience. As a typical club-style circuit, it challenges handling prowess while also providing key zones for applying power and testing braking limits. Lap times and detailed analysis were recorded using an AiM Solo 2 DL data logger. Each tire set ran in 20-minute sessions, with the best three lap times used for comparison.
Tire Performance Breakdown
Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R
Best lap: 1:22.0
Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R tire mounted on a wheel, tested for performance on a race track.
Photography Credit: Andy Hollis
Serving as our baseline, the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R has been a dominant force in 200-treadwear competition classes for years, racking up numerous victories in both track and autocross events. It’s widely praised for its immediate grip right from the start of a session and its consistent performance throughout its lifespan. Drivers appreciate its communicative nature, providing good feedback and predictable handling characteristics.
However, the RE-71R can exhibit edgy behavior in certain applications, which was evident during our test on the new pavement. While the tire was noisy, the car’s chassis could be finely balanced through corners by modulating the throttle. Braking performance was strong, although the ABS engaged slightly earlier compared to the other tires tested. The fastest laps on the Bridgestone during the initial session occurred on laps four, five, and six, all within a three-tenths of a second window. Following this peak, performance declined, and the tire felt less responsive.
Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3
Best lap: 1:20.0
Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 tire shown on a wheel after being tested for lap time performance.
Photography Credit: Andy Hollis
While a significant portion of tire manufacturers’ business comes from original equipment (OE) fitments, sometimes this aligns perfectly with motorsports needs. The Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 is a prime example. Originally developed for track-focused Chevrolet Camaro models like the ZL1 and SS 1LE, its size range has been expanded to cater to a broad replacement market, covering everything from a small 205/50R15 to a large 325/30R19.
Within this extensive size list, there are some variations. Sizes with section widths of 255mm and smaller feature a 9/32 inch tread depth, while larger sizes are shallower at 7/32-8/32 inches. The larger sizes also incorporate less void area on the outer shoulders to enhance handling for heavier vehicles. The compound and construction, however, remain consistent across the line.
On the track, the Goodyear tire demonstrated a wide grip threshold, simplifying the process of maintaining balance at the limit mid-corner. Braking performance was notably superior to the Bridgestone, as was the ability to apply power effectively on corner exit. These two advantages accounted for the majority of the lap time improvement over the baseline tire. From a driving perspective, the Goodyear excelled at multitasking but offered less feedback and communication compared to the Bridgestone. Achieving consistent speed on this tire requires anticipating its limits rather than reacting to dynamic feel or sound. The quickest laps were the first three, after which the pace settled about half a second slower for the rest of the session. Motorsport enthusiasts often follow driver news, and you can find jamie whincup news here.
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect (240)
Best lap: 1:20.0
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect performance tire ready for testing on the track.
Photography Credit: Andy Hollis
Michelin has long been a leader in high-performance motorsports tires and was among the first to offer street-legal track day options. Many versions have been chosen as OE fitments on the world’s fastest production cars, whose capabilities can only be fully explored on a closed circuit. Previous generations of the Pilot Sport Cup line typically had a treadwear rating below 200, placing them in Tire Rack’s Streetable Track & Competition category. The latest iteration, the Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect, features a 240 treadwear rating, aligning it with the Extreme Performance Summer tire class. This test aimed to see how this evolution of a track day tire performed in both single-lap speed and consistency.
The new Michelin is characterized by immense grip, providing better traction for putting down power than the others in this category. It also multitasked exceptionally well. Trail braking felt intuitive, as did accelerating early out of corners. The pace on the first lap felt phenomenal, constantly encouraging harder driving – right up until the point where the prodigious grip suddenly diminished. Maintaining speed at the limit in steady-state cornering involved managing understeer. Once the tires were overheated, it took time for optimal grip levels to return. However, by staying just below the absolute limit, consistently fast laps could be achieved. For fans of competitive racing and high-performance vehicles, updates on drivers like v8 supercars jamie whincup offer insights into the world of top-tier motorsports where tire performance is key.
Re-testing the Bridgestone
Best lap: 1:21.5
To account for any potential improvements in driver confidence or track surface conditions over the test day, we ran a final session on the Bridgestone RE-71R. While the lap times improved by approximately half a second compared to the first session, this entire gain was attributed to increased driver confidence specifically in Turn 1. The performance throughout the rest of the lap remained unchanged. This re-test confirms our confidence in the approximately 1.5-second lap time advantage demonstrated by both the Goodyear and Michelin tires relative to the Bridgestone baseline in this specific test setup.
Winners & Final Thoughts
Time appears to have caught up with the venerable Bridgestone RE-71R. While it enjoyed a long and successful run, newer contenders have arrived to challenge its dominance. Both the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 and the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect posted significantly faster lap times in this particular test scenario. Whether Bridgestone will respond with an updated tire remains to be seen.
A notable observation was that both new tires achieved their quickest laps right at the beginning of the session, a characteristic that will appeal greatly to autocross competitors where single-lap pace is crucial, with subsequent laps being slightly slower. Comparing the data revealed similar performance across much of the Harris Hill circuit.
However, the Goodyear showed an advantage under braking, while the Michelin proved superior on high-speed corner entries. The ultimate choice between these two top contenders will likely depend on the specific vehicle application, the driver’s style and preferences, and the setup of the car.
[Editor’s Note: In a recent 200tw tire test, we heat cycled the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R more and found that it became faster on track.]
