2026 AutoBild Track Day Tire Test

Auto Bild Sportscars tested five semi-slick track tires in sizes 275/35 R19 and 285/30 R20, fitted to a BMW M2. The standard Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 (with BMW marking) was used as a baseline reference, and a Pirelli slick was included as an out-of-competition comparison. Testing took place at Vizzola and Nardò in Italy, covering wet handling, wet braking, dry braking, hot lap, and a six-lap long run to assess durability.

Test Publication:

275/35 R19 5 tires 2 categories

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Images courtesy of Auto Bild

Test Publication:

https://www.autobild.de/ratgeber/reifen/

Images courtesy of Auto Bild

Test Size: 275/35 R19

Tires Tested: 5 tires

Test Categories:
2 categories (5 tests)

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The Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS, developed specifically for the BMW M2 CS, took the win with the best dry performance across the board and strong long-run consistency. The biggest surprise was the Vitour Tempesta P1 from China, which finished second - only a second off the Pirelli on the hot lap and solid in both wet and dry conditions. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, the most expensive tire in the test at over 2000 euros per set, disappointed with a lack of outright grip and poor long-run durability, finishing joint fourth. The Yokohama Advan A052 dominated the wet tests by a wide margin but faded in the dry long run due to its very soft compound. The full slick proved surprisingly close to the Trofeo RS on a single hot lap but was slower than several semi-slicks over longer stints, as the BMW's ABS could not cope with the extreme grip levels.

Dry

The Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS stopped shortest from 100 km/h, more than two metres ahead of the baseline Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2. The testers noted that the Pirelli's ABS integration was noticeably better than the rest of the field - a result of its specific development on the BMW M2. The Yokohama Advan A052, the strongest wet performer, was the weakest semi-slick here, its soft compound feeling spongy under hard braking. The full slick was slowest of all - its extreme grip overwhelmed the ABS, causing a cycle of locking and releasing that added over five metres to its stopping distance.

On the 6.2 km Nardò handling circuit, the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS was the fastest semi-slick, only 0.86 seconds behind the full slick, standing out for precise turn-in and a wide, predictable limit. The Vitour Tempesta P1 was just one second off the Pirelli, showing good stability at both axles - a strong result for a Chinese-made tire in this company. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, developed for the heavier M4 CSL, felt too hard on the M2, producing occasional understeer and finishing well off the pace. The Yokohama posted a similar time to the Michelin but felt somewhat too soft according to the testers. The Nankang CR-S was slowest of the ranked tires, though the entire semi-slick field was covered by just 2.35 seconds.

Long Run

The long run covered six laps of the 6.2 km Nardò circuit at 80% pace, roughly equivalent to 20 laps of the Sachsenring in terms of tire stress as Nardò is long and high grip. The Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS was fastest on every lap from the second onwards - it looked worn by the end but felt stable and fast throughout, with good feedback and little movement. The Vitour Tempesta P1 was similarly quick, though it developed more movement at both axles in the final two laps. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R never matched the pace of the front-runners despite its harder compound, and suffered heavy pick-up from lap two. The Nankang CR-S and standard Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 had similar pick-up problems. The Yokohama Advan A052, despite being the softest tire, handled rubber pick-up surprisingly well. The full slick was the opposite of its hot lap result - it never found consistent pace, struggling with understeer and oversteer throughout.

Wet

In wet braking from 100 km/h, the baseline Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 - the tire with the most tread grooves - stopped shortest, with the Yokohama Advan A052 just 0.2 metres behind. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R and Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS both suffered from a water wedge forming under the contact patch, unsettling the ABS on the initial brake input and adding several metres. The slick needed more than double the distance of the best semi-slick.

The Yokohama Advan A052's soft compound, which hurt its dry braking, paid off in the wet. It was ten seconds faster than the next semi-slick over the 2.8 km Vizzola wet handling course - a gap the testers did not expect, especially on a Pirelli test facility. The Nankang and Vitour were close behind each other in second and third, the Nankang offering the better balance of the two. The Pirelli and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R both offered safe handling with controllable oversteer, but began to aquaplane about 10 km/h sooner than the Yokohama - the Pirelli's dry-condition strengths in turn-in and grip did not carry over to the wet. Despite being semi-slicks, all five ranked tires completed the wet course without difficulty.

Results

The Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS won overall on the strength of its dry performance, which carries 80% of the total weighting. The Vitour Tempesta P1 was the standout value option in second place, while the Yokohama Advan A052's wet dominance was not enough to offset its dry-condition weaknesses, leaving it tied for fourth with the much more expensive Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R.

1^st

Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS

275/35 R19 99Y

• EU Label: D/B/B
• Weight: 50.3 kgs
• Price: 1513.00

The Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS was developed specifically for the BMW M2 CS, and that purpose-built character shows throughout the test. On the hot lap it was the fastest semislick, only eight tenths off the pure slick over 6.2 kilometres. The tire delivers very high grip levels, precise turn-in and a wide limit range. It also works well with the BMW's stability control and ABS systems. In the long run it maintained strong pace from lap two through to lap six with good feedback and little body movement, making it a tire you can push consistently over a full track session. Pick-up was visible on the surface by the end but did not hurt performance noticeably. In the wet it drops to mid-pack - handling is safe and oversteer is manageable, but it starts to aquaplane about 10 km/h sooner than the best wet performer. In wet braking the forming water wedge under the tread delays full contact, costing a few metres. Dry braking is its strongest single result, stopping shorter than anything else in the test including the slick, with the ABS working cleanly throughout.

Dry

100%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Dry Braking	1st	28.8 M			100%
Dry Handling	1st	148.53 s			100%
Dry Handling Long Run	1st	152.35 s			100%

Wet

90.9%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Wet Braking	4th	53.3 M	47.2 M	+6.1 M	88.56%
Wet Handling	5th	138.55 s	129.17 s	+9.38 s	93.23%

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2^nd

Vitour Tempesta P1

275/35 R19 99Y

• EU Label: D/B/B
• Weight: 56.2 kgs
• Price: 1576.00

The Vitour Tempesta P1 is the surprise of the test. The Chinese-made tire was only one second off the Pirelli on the hot lap and showed strong stability at both axles. It offers good feedback and ran at a similar pace to the Pirelli through most of the long run, though it developed slightly more movement front and rear in the final two laps. In the wet it is quick and secure - close to the Nankang and well ahead of the Pirelli and both Michelins in handling. Wet braking is average for the group. Dry braking performance is strong. The main downsides are its weight, the heaviest set in the test at 56.2 kg, and the slight drop in composure towards the end of longer stints. For the price, it offers a lot of track performance.

Dry

98%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Dry Braking	3rd	30.26 M	28.8 M	+1.46 M	95.18%
Dry Handling	2nd	149.56 s	148.53 s	+1.03 s	99.31%
Dry Handling Long Run	2nd	153.12 s	152.35 s	+0.77 s	99.5%

Wet

93.7%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Wet Braking	3rd	51.9 M	47.2 M	+4.7 M	90.94%
Wet Handling	3rd	134.01 s	129.17 s	+4.84 s	96.39%

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3^rd

Nankang Sportnex CR S

275/35 R19 99Y

• EU Label: D/C/B
• Weight: 54 kgs
• Price: 1620.00

The Nankang CR-S delivers nearly perfect handling balance in both wet and dry conditions. It collects less pick-up than most of the field during the long run, keeping the tread surface cleaner over extended use. On the hot lap it was the slowest of the ranked semislicks, and at the limit it does not turn in quite as precisely as the Pirelli or Vitour. Dry braking is slightly held back by extra ABS intervention. In the wet it is one of the better performers, close behind the Yokohama in handling and solid under braking. It is a well-rounded tire with no major weaknesses, though it does not stand out in any single test either. Set weight is on the high side at 54.0 kg.

Dry

96.3%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Dry Braking	4th	30.7 M	28.8 M	+1.9 M	93.81%
Dry Handling	5th	150.88 s	148.53 s	+2.35 s	98.44%
Dry Handling Long Run	4th	157.42 s	152.35 s	+5.07 s	96.78%

Wet

95.3%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Wet Braking	2nd	50.1 M	47.2 M	+2.9 M	94.21%
Wet Handling	2nd	133.96 s	129.17 s	+4.79 s	96.42%

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4^th

Yokohama Advan A052

275/35 R19 99Y

• EU Label: D/B/B
• Weight: 49.5 kgs
• Price: 1612.00

The Yokohama Advan A052 has the softest compound in the group, which was noticeable by hand during fitting. That softness makes it the clear wet weather leader - it was ten seconds faster than the next semislick in wet handling and matched the standard Michelin Cup 2 in wet braking despite having far less tread pattern. The ABS works particularly well with this tire in the wet, keeping the car stable and predictable under hard braking. In the dry the story is different. The soft compound feels slightly vague and spongy, and the ABS has to work harder during dry braking, losing a few centimetres. Hot lap time is mid-pack, equal to the Michelin Cup 2 R. The long run is where it suffers most - it was very slow to come in on lap two and picked up a lot of rubber debris, degrading faster than the front-runners. If wet capability matters, for example on a road drive home from a track day, this is the strongest choice.

Dry

95.9%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Dry Braking	5th	30.98 M	28.8 M	+2.18 M	92.96%
Dry Handling	4th	150.11 s	148.53 s	+1.58 s	98.95%
Dry Handling Long Run	5th	158.98 s	152.35 s	+6.63 s	95.83%

Wet

100%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Wet Braking	1st	47.2 M			100%
Wet Handling	1st	129.17 s			100%

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4^th

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R

275/35 R19 99Y

• EU Label: D/D/B
• Weight: 47.8 kgs
• Price: 2074.00

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R was originally developed for the BMW M4 CSL, and on the M2 it does not feel fully at home. The compound is noticeably harder than the competition, which gives it the lightest set weight in the test at 47.8 kg but costs outright grip. On the hot lap it manages good initial pace, but the feel is less precise than the Pirelli or Vitour, with occasional understeer at the limit. The long run is its weakest area - performance drops after the first lap and heavy pick-up builds up, causing increasing movement at both axles. In the wet the harder compound and less effective water clearance leave it behind most of the field in both handling and braking, with the ABS struggling on the initial brake application. It is the most expensive set in the test by a wide margin, which makes the lack of a grip advantage hard to justify.

Dry

97.3%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Dry Braking	2nd	29.99 M	28.8 M	+1.19 M	96.03%
Dry Handling	3rd	150.09 s	148.53 s	+1.56 s	98.96%
Dry Handling Long Run	3rd	157.27 s	152.35 s	+4.92 s	96.87%

Wet

89.2%

Test	#	Result	Best	Diff	%
Wet Braking	5th	55.5 M	47.2 M	+8.3 M	85.05%
Wet Handling	4th	138.49 s	129.17 s	+9.32 s	93.27%

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