This video is a long term real world review of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S and the new Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport.
1,500 miles were driven on each set of tyres using an e92 BMW M3 and BMW M2 Competition in the dry, wet, hot and cold! Both tyres are excellent road and track UUHP tyres (ultra ultra high performance), and both have very similar grip and performances in the dry and wet, so this video mostly looks at the subjective handling and feel differences of the tyres in the real world, including comfort, noise, steering feel and steering feedback.
Also, once you've watched this video, don't forget to watch the 19" UUHP mega test here.
Testing notes (if you can't watch the video above)
While the differences are subtle between the tyres, they exist.
Dry
The first thing you notice when switching between the two tyres is that the Michelin rounds off bumps better, it's less crashy, especially on lower speed big imperfections like potholes. It's also very slightly quieter. This does however mean that in normal driving, the michelin gives less information through the steering wheel. The Goodyear feels more granular, more chatty, it wants you to know what's going on. The goodyear is also slightly heavier to steer at slower speeds, and once moving it builds up turning force more quickly.
This makes the M2 feel a little more darty, more sporty if you will. The Michelin has a slightly slower steering speed, but it builds up in a more linear manner, which means it's a bit easier to place the car, even if it feels a little slower to turn.
As you start to push on something funny happens, that feedback from the Goodyear starts to slightly get a little less detailed on the front. Where the Michelin gives you more and more information as you get close to the limit, the Goodyear starts to feel a little vague on the front, resulting in understeer creeping in before it would on the Michelin.
Conversely, this is rewarded on the rear axle as more confidence to play on the Goodyear. As things happen in a more progressive manner, you feel more comfortable with a little bit of slip on the rear because everything happens more slowly. Maybe slightly less ultimate grip on the Goodyear, but more fun to use.
Braking is impossible to measure on the road, but in the dry, both tyres are INCREDIBLE. Subjectively the Michelin seems to key into the road a little better, it just feels a tiny bit more stable, and this is reflected by objective testing from around the world.
Both tyres warm up very quickly in the dry, but the Michelin does seem to be ready to go from colder temperatures, especially under traction at the rear.
Wet
It's important to note that you can do any sort of wet testing on the road. It's obviously too dangerous, and also not repeatable. That said, both tyres are REALLY strong in the wet. Again the Michelin feels just slightly more secure under braking, but traction is broadly similar, which means excellent. Both tyres are offering grip where you just don't think there can be on all wet surfaces.
One thing worth noting - we found in the texas test, the rear size of the Goodyear has better aquaplaning performance. The rear on the Michelins has narrower grooves than the front, but the goodyear doesn't.
Wear
Sadly wear testing is beyond the scope of this test, it's very expensive and time consuming to do properly. Wear testing from other tests has recently show Goodyear has almost caught up, and in some patterns passed Michelin tread life, so I expect these tyres to be very close in wear performance.
Conclusion
Both tyres are incredibly close. The Michelin is more rounded, more mature, more grown up.
The Goodyear is a little more exciting on the road, the car feels more direct, a little more playful, a little more communicative.
The Michelin is still the better tyre overall, but the margin is small. And for all the Michelins brilliance, the Goodyear leaves me smiling more. UUHP tyres SHOULD be fun and playful and this is where the Goodyear excels.