The pinnacle of the performance tyre spectrum belongs to the Supersports or ultra-ultra-high performance (UUHP) tyre. While fully road legal, these tyres are meticulously engineered to deliver unparalleled performance on the track. Yet their primary mission is to offer a dynamic and safe driving experience for the world’s most powerful cars, excelling in both wet and dry conditions.
WhatTyre has spotlighted six Supersports tyres that epitomise excellence in this demanding category.
Supersports Tyre of the Year
Our choice for WhatTyre Supersports Tyre of the Year has something of a Groundhog Day feel to it. Yes, we’ve been here before. Twice. But after considering a range of factors, including TyreScore, independent testing and OEM homologations, the result is clear: Continental SportContact 7 retains its crown in this category.
The most recent tyre test win for the SportContact 7 saw respected German publication Auto Bild Sportscars declare it an ‘exemplary’ tyre. Evaluating the Continental product alongside six other tyre brands in a 265/35R19 (front) and 295/30R19 (rear) mixed fitment, Auto Bild Sportscars told its readers that the Continental SportContact 7 is a “convincing super-athlete that shows hardly any weaknesses.” It gained first place thanks to a combination of precise steering behaviour, dynamic handling on wet and dry roads, excellent balance and short braking distances. In all, SportContact 7 has finished first in eight of the nine tyre tests it has participated in; during one of its earliest test appearances in 2022, the tyre had to make do with second place – but still gained an ‘exemplary’ rating.
In addition to supplying to major vehicle manufacturers – Continental lists 12 brands that factory-fit the tyre – tuning houses such as Brabus have selected SportContact 7 as an original equipment fitment for their souped-up creations. The latest Brabus cars exclusively fitted with the tyre are the Brabus 930 and Brabus Rocket 1000, the latter being the tuner’s most powerful supercar to date.
Continental SportContact 7 (Photo: Continental)
Highly Recommended Tyres
SportContact 7 faces strong competition in the Supersports segment, and we have given two further tyres our Highly Recommended seal of approval.
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport (Image: Goodyear)
Although first unveiled five years ago, the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport still packs a punch. Very similar in looks to the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6, the Eagle F1 SuperSport offers a crisp feeling and more superior steering feedback and dry braking than its sibling without overly compromising on wet braking performance.
Introduced together with two more track-oriented versions, the SuperSport R and SuperSport RS, Goodyear designed Eagle F1 SuperSport for drivers “who are serious about performance.” The tyre incorporates several advanced technologies to enhance driving dynamics. Its Dual Plus Technology, a two-part tread compound for wet and dry grip, utilises a U-shaped compound that creates specialist power zones. High-speed stability is boosted by materials that resist deformation where the rubber meets the road. Additionally, Eagle F1 SuperSport features a stiffened sidewall and Power Shoulder Technology that maximises contact with the tarmac.
Arriving in 2021 as successor to the Potenza S001, the Bridgestone Potenza Sport sits at the top of the brand’s roadgoing performance tyre range. The tyre debuted to much acclaim, achieving a podium finish in each of the five tests it participated in that first year. Bizarrely, Bridgestone Potenza Sport may be the only Supersport tyre to ever win a tyre test for motorhome tyres, having been declared the winner of this year’s Auto Bild Reisemobil summer tyre test. Just the thing for laps around the Nürburgring in the camper. Those who prefer supercars to vehicles they can sleep in are also catered for, with Potenza Sport an original equipment tyre on cars from BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, to name just a few.
Tested by TÜV SÜD, Potenza Sport achieves the best performance in both dry braking and in cornering and straight-line stability versus competitors in the premium segment. And, with an EU label A-grade in wet grip across its full line-up and deemed best performer in wet cornering and handling in further tests performed by TÜV SÜD, Bridgestone Potenza Sport also offers outstanding wet performance.
Commended Tyres
Hankook Ventus S1 evo Z (Image: Hankook)
The Hankook Ventus S1 evo Z has proven itself as a reliable performer since its launch in 2021. Although it has appeared less frequently in tests compared to its ultra-high performance (UHP) sibling, the Ventus S1 evo 3, it has consistently delivered strong results. In the 2022 ultra-ultra-high performance (UUHP) test by Sportauto, the Hankook Ventus S1 evo Z received a ‘good’ rating, praised for its driving safety in wet conditions and dynamically sporty handling characteristics.
Original equipment approvals for the Ventus S1 evo Z began even before its official launch. The tyre was selected for the Mini John Cooper Works GP in size 225/35R18 87Y XL. BMW M has also chosen the tyre for its X3M and X4M models, fitting them with 255/40 ZR21 102Y at the front and 265/40 ZR21 105Y at the rear. Porsche opted for the Ventus S1 evo Z for its Panamera, equipping selected models with bespoke tyres in either 265/45 ZR19 105Y XL / 295/40 ZR19 108Y XL or 275/40 ZR20 (106Y) XL / 315/35 ZR20 (110Y) XL combinations, all featuring Porsche’s ND0 sidewall marking.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 (Image: Michelin)
Arriving in the Supersport scene in 2023, the Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 is currently available in 13 dimensions, most of these being original equipment fitments for high performance vehicle manufacturers such as Alpine, Aston Martin, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
Michelin tells us that the new tyre offers “razor-sharp handling for safe control” and is tailor-made for the most demanding sports cars. The tyre’s Dynamic Response Technology contributes to that performance while Michelin attributes its “remarkable” grip on wet and dry roads to, among other things, a new two-component tread compound and large longitudinal tread grooves. As far as construction is concerned, the new tyre relies on an aramid nylon hybrid belt, something that results in more immediate transmission of steering input.
Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4 (Image: Pirelli)
A Pirelli P Zero appears in our 2023 Supersport tyre shortlist, but not this one. Pirelli has elevated confusing product naming to an artform by offering no less than seven tyre models that feature the P Zero moniker. The tyre we’re looking at this time goes by the full name Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4 and is a product that “brings the best of motorsport technology both on the road and on tracks.”
Tyre Reviews included a Porsche original equipment version of the Pirelli P Zero Corsa in its comparative test of track day tyres this year and described the tyre as a “revelation in wet handling” that delivered performance rivalling “dedicated racing wet tyres.” Summing up, Tyre Reviews wrote that drivers “were astounded by the Corsa’s ability to find grip in even the most challenging conditions, with precise steering response and a planted rear end that inspired confidence.”
Up & Coming Products
A couple of names arrived a fraction too late to be considered for this year’s WhatTyre Superports Tyre of the Year award, but we believe they show potential. After promising a tyre that “raised the bar for ultra-ultra-high-performance tyres,” Vredestein released its Ultrac Pro at the start of summer. The range is primarily targeted at the aftermarket and currently available in the UK in 45 car and SUV dimensions for 18- to 24-inch rims, with many more sizes to come.
We haven’t heard a lot about Vredestein Ultrac Pro yet, but evo magazine has been for a drive and reports a positive initial experience. Auto Bild Sportscars too, who gave the tyre a podium place and ‘exemplary’ rating in its summer 2024 tyre test.
Even newer is the Falken Azenis RS820. WhatTyre became acquainted with Falken’s first UUHP product for Europe in May, and the range comes to market this year in an initial 38 sizes between 19 and 21 inches and a Y speed index. Motorsport technology underpins all the features of the Azenis RS820, which Falken engineered to offer ultra-precise handling, stability, and control at all speeds and in a variety of conditions, as well as a quiet and smooth ride.
We look forward to seeing how both tyres fare during comparative testing – keep an eye on WhatTyre.com for further updates.
