Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R vs Bridgestone Potenza Race
Ahead in each discipline
The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R and the Bridgestone Potenza Race have met in one independent test so far, and the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R finished ahead. The Pilot Sport Cup 2 R was stronger in dry, the Potenza Race in wet and value.
Performance profile
8 measurements from the one shared test, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure.
Where each is furthest ahead
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Potenza Race
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Potenza Race
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Potenza Race
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R 77% from 4 reviews and the Potenza Race 81% from 12. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Both tyres' figures from the one test that ran them together, on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The bar grows towards the tyre that did better.
| Measurement | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | Gap | Potenza Race |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ahead | |||
| Dry Braking m | 33.43 | 6.6% | 35.78 |
| Dry Handling s | 81.51 | 0.2% | 81.37 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | 8.5 | 3.7% | 8.2 |
| Wet Potenza Race ahead | |||
| Wet Braking m | 33.04 | 15.4% | 27.95 |
| Wet Handling s | 111.7 | 7% | 103.9 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | 8.2 | 11% | 9.1 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 73.4 | 0.4% | 73.1 |
| Value Potenza Race ahead | |||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 9.4 | 5.3% | 8.9 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared.
Head to head in 1 test in 2025
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | Field | Potenza Race |
|---|---|---|---|
| The FASTEST Track Tyres In The World Tested | P2 of 4 | P4 of 4 |
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R vs Potenza Race: your questions
Is the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or the Bridgestone Potenza Race the better tyre?
The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R and the Bridgestone Potenza Race have met in one independent test so far, and the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R finished ahead. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 7.2 and the Potenza Race 8.7 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or the Potenza Race?
The Potenza Race led 3 of the 4 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The Pilot Sport Cup 2 R led 2 of the 3 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 9.7/10 for the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R and 7/10 for the Potenza Race.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R 77% from 4 reviews and the Potenza Race 81% from 12.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Pilot Sport Cup 2 R is made in 9 sizes (20 to 21 inch) and the Potenza Race in 18 (17 to 22 inch). 2 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R is graded D for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Potenza Race C and D.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Pilot Sport Cup 2 R is the newer design: it reached the market in 2022, the Potenza Race in 2021.
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.