Why is this confusing? They've managed to test three different types of tyres in the single test! The first group is the more "regular" ultra high performance tyres, which includes the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5, Nokian PowerProof, Vredestein Ultrac Vorti, Toyo Proxes Sport, and strangely, the Continental SportContact 6. They've also tested two "UUHP" tyres, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S and the new Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport (which is the group we believe the Continental SportContact 6 should be included in, as the PremiumContact 6 is the more natural rival to the Asymmetric 5), and three track day tyres, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, the unreleased Bridgestone Potenza S007 RS, and the Giti GitiSport GTR3.
So we have ten tyres across three different categories, with one of them in the wrong category, and one of them unreleased, all in the same test! Fortunately, the data is really interesting, and is a fascinating insight into the differences between the three types of tyre.
Before we start, if you're able to read German, we highly recommend finding a copy of the original test on SportAuto.de as their print layout is way more effective at displaying the differences of all the tyres included.
The differences between tyre types
In theory, as each group of tyres gets more sporty (UHP -> UUHP -> track day tyres), their dry performance and subjective handling scores should increase, while their wet performance and comfort levels should decrease, and this is roughly the case!
In the dry handling testing, the results were perfectly as expected, with the track day tyres best, the two UUHPs next in line, and the five UHP tyres at the bottom of the table. Dry braking wasn't quite as expected, but apart from the Giti, it was roughly correct (see below.)
In the wet, the rule also played out almost perfectly. The track day tyres were always at the bottom of the pack, and while the UUHP tyres were mixing it with the UHP tyres, they never appeared in the top two places. It's nice when logic wins.
That said, the gap between the worst wet handling UHP tyre and the best track day tyre wasn't huge, and the wet circle, where the water depth is very shallow, was even closer!
The full data can be poured over below, and as always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to ask.
Dry
Michelin will be happy with the dry braking results, as both their tyres lead the group. The track bias Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 had the shortest stopping distance, with the Pilot Sport 4S just 0.4 meters behind. Interestingly, the other two track day tyres only managed to finish seventh and tenth overall. Without knowing how the test procedure was run it's impossible to say why, but it might have something to do with a lack of temperature in the Bridgestone and Giti products.
The dry handling results are much closer to what we expect, with the three trackdays tyres reaching temperature, and being significantly faster than even the fastest UUHP tyre. The two UUHP tyres were also a step above the UHP tyres, both in lap time and subjective handling.
Wet
As you would expect in wet braking, the track day tyres finished at the other end of the table, with even the "best in the dry" Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 nearly 4 meters behind the worst road tyre.
Wet handling gave the first win to the UHP segment, with the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 proving to be the fastest, and best subjectively around the wet handling circuit, with the Continental SportContact 6 a close second.
The wet circle test swapped the top two tyres from wet handling, while the track day tyres continued to struggle.
The Continental SportContact 6 again proved its dominance in the wet, acing the straight aquaplaning test.
Environment
Interestingly there was no real order between the three groups of tyres on the subjective comfort or noise tests.
Tyre weight was again fairly evenly distributed between the three groups of tyres.
Whereas the rolling resistance testing definitely showed an advantage for the UHP category of tyres.
Results
The below results will look a little confusing as there's three winners (one from each category) so keep this in mind when reading through.
1st: Continental Sport Contact 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Outstanding wet grip with a very neutral balance and excellent feedback. Very short braking distances in the dry with excellent steering precision and speed in the dry. Çok nötr bir denge ve mükemmel geri bildirimle olağanüstü ıslak tutuş. Kuru zeminde çok kısa fren mesafeleri, kuru zeminde mükemmel direksiyon hassasiyeti ve hız. Hervorragender Nassgriff mit sehr neutraler Balance und ausgezeichnetem Feedback. Sehr kurze Bremswege im Trockenen mit ausgezeichneter Lenkpräzision und Geschwindigkeit im Trockenen. Excellente adhérence sur sol mouillé avec un équilibre très neutre et un excellent retour d'information. Distances de freinage très courtes sur sol sec avec une excellente précision de direction et une excellente vitesse sur sol sec. Slight oversteer in the high speed wet, average rolling resistance. Yüksek hızlı ıslak zeminde hafif aşırı dönüş, ortalama yuvarlanma direnci. Leichtes Übersteuern bei hoher Geschwindigkeit im Nassen, durchschnittlicher Rollwiderstand. Léger survirage sur sol mouillé à grande vitesse, résistance au roulement moyenne. Proven wet grip, now with new convincing mix of abilities. Islak zeminde kanıtlanmış yol tutuşu, şimdi yeni ve ikna edici yetenek karışımıyla. Bewährter Nassgriff, jetzt mit neuem, überzeugendem Fähigkeitsmix. Adhérence éprouvée sur sol mouillé, désormais avec un nouveau mélange convaincant de capacités. Read Reviews Buy from £174.47 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Outstanding grip and precision in the dry, very good feedback, very easy to control at the limit. Pressure change to 2.4f 2.1r (from 2.2f 2.2r) when hot recommended. Kuru zeminde olağanüstü kavrama ve hassasiyet, çok iyi geri bildirim, limitte kontrolü çok kolay. Sıcakken basıncın 2.4f 2.1r'ye (2.2f 2.2r'den) değiştirilmesi önerilir. Hervorragender Grip und Präzision im Trockenen, sehr gutes Feedback, am Limit sehr gut kontrollierbar. Druckänderung auf 2,4f 2,1r (von 2,2f 2,2r) bei Hitze empfohlen. Excellente adhérence et précision sur sol sec, très bon retour d'information, très facile à contrôler à la limite. Changement de pression à 2,4f 2,1r (de 2,2f 2,2r) à chaud recommandé. As typical for a semi slick limited wet performance and high rolling resistance. Yarı kaygan, ıslak zeminde sınırlı performans ve yüksek yuvarlanma direnci için tipiktir. Semislick-typisch ist die eingeschränkte Performance bei Nässe und der hohe Rollwiderstand. Comme c'est typique pour un pneu semi-slick, les performances sur sol mouillé sont limitées et la résistance au roulement est élevée. Best dry grip of all the tyres. Tüm lastikler arasında kuru zeminde en iyi yol tutuşuna sahip olanı. Bester Trockengrip aller Reifen. Meilleure adhérence sur sol sec de tous les pneus. Read Reviews Buy from £260.84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Very short braking in the dry, very stable, good feedback and steering precision with high dry grip. Balanced and reliable in the wet. Kuru zeminde çok kısa frenleme, çok stabil, iyi geri bildirim ve yüksek kuru tutuşla direksiyon hassasiyeti. Islak zeminde dengeli ve güvenilir. Sehr kurze Bremszeiten im Trockenen, sehr stabil, gutes Feedback und Lenkpräzision bei hohem Trockengrip. Ausgewogen und zuverlässig im Nassen. Freinage très court sur sol sec, très stable, bon retour d'information et précision de pilotage avec une bonne adhérence sur sol sec. Équilibré et fiable sur sol mouillé. Average aquaplaning, average wet circle grip. Ortalama suda kızaklama, ortalama ıslak zemin tutuşu. Durchschnittliches Aquaplaning, durchschnittlicher Nasskreisgrip. Aquaplaning moyen, adhérence moyenne sur sol mouillé. Ultimate sportiness on dry roads, amazing safety in the wet. Kuru zeminde üst düzey sportiflik, ıslak zeminde ise inanılmaz güvenlik. Ultimative Sportlichkeit auf trockener Fahrbahn, erstaunliche Sicherheit bei Nässe. Sportivité ultime sur route sèche, sécurité étonnante sur route mouillée. Read Reviews Buy from £210.71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd: Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Short braking and good dynamics with high steering precision in the dry. The high driving stability and excellent behaviour creates trust for fast times. Acceptable performance in the wet. Kısa frenleme ve kuru zeminde yüksek direksiyon hassasiyetiyle iyi dinamikler. Yüksek sürüş dengesi ve mükemmel davranış, hızlı zamanlar için güven yaratır. Islak zeminde kabul edilebilir performans. Kurze Bremszeiten und gute Dynamik mit hoher Lenkpräzision im Trockenen. Die hohe Fahrstabilität und das hervorragende Fahrverhalten schaffen Vertrauen für schnelle Zeiten. Akzeptable Performance im Nassen. Freinage court et bonne dynamique avec une grande précision de direction sur sol sec. La grande stabilité de conduite et l'excellent comportement créent la confiance pour des temps rapides. Performances acceptables sur sol mouillé. Average aquaplaning, reduced comfort. Ortalama suda kızaklama, düşük konfor. Durchschnittliches Aquaplaning, eingeschränkter Komfort. Aquaplaning moyen, confort réduit. The brand new Eagle F1 SuperSport is still missing some bite. Yepyeni Eagle F1 SuperSport'un hala bazı eksikleri var. Dem brandneuen Eagle F1 SuperSport fehlt es noch an Biss. La toute nouvelle Eagle F1 SuperSport manque encore de mordant. Read Reviews Buy from £164.99 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good natured and easy to control in the wet, with high aquaplaning safety. Good handling in the dry, very low rolling resistance, good comfort levels and very quiet. İyi huylu ve ıslak zeminde kontrolü kolay, yüksek suda kızaklama güvenliği. Kuru zeminde iyi yol tutuşu, çok düşük yuvarlanma direnci, iyi konfor seviyeleri ve çok sessiz. Gutmütig und leicht beherrschbar bei Nässe, mit hoher Aquaplaning-Sicherheit. Gutes Handling bei Trockenheit, sehr geringer Rollwiderstand, guter Komfort und sehr leise. Bon comportement et maniabilité sur sol mouillé, grande sécurité anti-aquaplaning. Bonne tenue de route sur sol sec, très faible résistance au roulement, bon confort et très silencieux. Slightly slower to steer. Yönlendirmesi biraz daha yavaş. Etwas langsamer beim Lenken. Légèrement plus lent à diriger. Top performer with top liability and low rolling resistance. En yüksek sorumluluk ve düşük yuvarlanma direncine sahip en iyi performans. Top-Performer mit Top-Haftung und geringem Rollwiderstand. Pneu très performant avec une fiabilité maximale et une faible résistance au roulement. Read Reviews Buy from £198.99 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd: Bridgestone Potenza S007 RS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Very precise steering and high cornering grip in the dry. Very quiet. Pressure change to 2.4f 2.1r (from 2.2f 2.2r) when hot recommended. Kuru zeminde çok hassas direksiyon ve yüksek viraj tutuşu. Çok sessiz. Sıcakken basıncın 2.4f 2.1r'ye (2.2f 2.2r'den) değiştirilmesi önerilir. Sehr präzise Lenkung und hoher Kurvengrip im Trockenen. Sehr leise. Druckänderung auf 2,4f 2,1r (von 2,2f 2,2r) bei Hitze empfohlen. Direction très précise et bonne adhérence en virage sur sol sec. Très silencieux. Changement de pression à 2,4f 2,1r (de 2,2f 2,2r) à chaud recommandé. Limited wet grip, especially when cold compared to the Michelin Cup 2. High rolling resistance, low aquaplaning resistance. Islak zeminde tutunma, özellikle soğukta Michelin Cup 2'ye göre sınırlı. Yüksek yuvarlanma direnci, düşük suda kızaklama direnci. Eingeschränkter Nassgriff, insbesondere bei Kälte, im Vergleich zum Michelin Cup 2. Hoher Rollwiderstand, geringe Aquaplaning-Sicherheit. Adhérence limitée sur sol mouillé, surtout à froid par rapport au Michelin Cup 2. Résistance au roulement élevée, faible résistance à l'aquaplaning. The sportier version of the S007, active, precise and fast. S007'nin daha sportif versiyonu; aktif, dakik ve hızlı. Die sportlichere Version des S007, aktiv, präzise und schnell. La version plus sportive du S007, active, précise et rapide. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd: Nokian PowerProof | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good braking performance, well rounded balance in the dry and wet, very low rolling resistance. İyi fren performansı, kuru ve ıslak zeminde dengeli yol tutuşu, çok düşük yuvarlanma direnci. Gute Bremsleistung, ausgewogene Balance bei Trockenheit und Nässe, sehr geringer Rollwiderstand. Bonnes performances de freinage, bon équilibre sur sol sec et humide, très faible résistance au roulement. Reduced wet grip and aquaplaning resistance, average comfort. Islak zeminde yol tutuşu ve suda kızaklama direnci azaltılmış, konfor ortalama. Reduzierte Nasshaftung und Aquaplaning-Beständigkeit, durchschnittlicher Komfort. Adhérence réduite sur sol mouillé et résistance à l'aquaplaning, confort moyen. A good mid-range summer tyre with slight weakness in the wet. Islak zeminde hafif zayıflığı olan iyi bir orta sınıf yaz lastiği. Ein guter Mittelklasse-Sommerreifen mit leichter Schwäche bei Nässe. Un bon pneu été de milieu de gamme avec une légère faiblesse sur sol mouillé. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd: Giti GitiSport GTR3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Excellent direct steering with high levels of feedback, great dry balance with exploitable grip. Pressure change to 2.4f 2.1r (from 2.2f 2.2r) when hot recommended. Yüksek geri bildirim seviyelerine sahip mükemmel doğrudan direksiyon, değerlendirilebilir tutuşa sahip harika kuru denge. Sıcakken 2.4f 2.1r'ye (2.2f 2.2r'den) basınç değişimi önerilir. Hervorragende direkte Lenkung mit hohem Feedback, tolle Trockenbalance mit nutzbarem Grip. Druckänderung auf 2,4f 2,1r (von 2,2f 2,2r) bei Hitze empfohlen. Excellente direction directe avec un niveau élevé de retour d'information, excellent équilibre sur sol sec avec une adhérence exploitable. Changement de pression à 2,4f 2,1r (de 2,2f 2,2r) à chaud recommandé. Typically restricted semi slick wet performance with long wet braking and high rolling resistance. Genellikle uzun ıslak frenleme ve yüksek yuvarlanma direncine sahip, yarı kaygan ıslak zemin performansı kısıtlıdır. Typischerweise eingeschränkte Leistung von Semi-Slicks im Nassen mit langem Nassbremsen und hohem Rollwiderstand. Performances généralement limitées sur sol mouillé semi-lisse avec freinage long sur sol mouillé et résistance au roulement élevée. Fast and active track day tyres for beginners. Yeni başlayanlar için hızlı ve aktif pist günü lastikleri. Schnelle und aktive Trackday-Reifen für Anfänger. Pneus de piste rapides et actifs pour débutants. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4th: Vredestein Ultrac Vorti | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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High dry driving stability, very quiet and comfortable. Kuru zeminde sürüş stabilitesi yüksek, çok sessiz ve konforlu. Hohe Trockenfahrstabilität, sehr leise und komfortabel. Grande stabilité de conduite à sec, très silencieux et confortable. Understeer and lower grip levels in the wet, only average aquaplaning resistance, high rolling resistance. Islak zeminde yetersiz dönüş ve düşük tutunma, ortalama suda kızaklama direnci, yüksek yuvarlanma direnci. Untersteuern und geringeres Gripniveau bei Nässe, nur durchschnittlicher Aquaplaning-Schutz, hoher Rollwiderstand. Sous-virage et adhérence plus faibles sur sol mouillé, résistance moyenne à l'aquaplaning, résistance au roulement élevée. The updated Vorti stands for comfort over dynamics. Güncellenen Vorti, dinamiklikten çok konforu temsil ediyor. Beim aktualisierten Vorti steht Komfort statt Dynamik. Le Vorti mis à jour est synonyme de confort plutôt que de dynamisme. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5th: Toyo Proxes Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Progressive steering and dynamic handling in the dry, good protection against curved aquaplaning, quiet and comfortable. Kuru zeminde ilerici direksiyon hakimiyeti ve dinamik yol tutuşu, virajlarda suda kızaklamaya karşı iyi koruma, sessiz ve konforlu. Progressive Lenkung und dynamisches Handling im Trockenen, guter Schutz gegen Kurven-Aquaplaning, leise und komfortabel. Direction progressive et tenue de route dynamique sur sol sec, bonne protection contre l'aquaplaning en courbe, silencieux et confortable. Poor wet braking and handling, with strong understeer. High rolling resistance. Islak zeminde zayıf frenleme ve yol tutuşu, güçlü önden kayma. Yüksek yuvarlanma direnci. Schlechtes Bremsen und Handling bei Nässe, mit starkem Untersteuern. Hoher Rollwiderstand. Freinage et tenue de route médiocres sur sol mouillé, avec un fort sous-virage. Résistance au roulement élevée. In spite of sporty driving, the steering feel is missing, especially in wet. Sportif sürüşe rağmen özellikle ıslak zeminde direksiyon hissiyatı eksik. Trotz sportlicher Fahrweise fehlt insbesondere bei Nässe das Lenkgefühl. Malgré une conduite sportive, la sensation de direction fait défaut, surtout sur sol mouillé. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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