The Porsche 911 GT3 RS is one of the fastest track-legal sports cars available today. However, even Porsche recognizes that the weather isn’t always favorable on track days. So it has partnered with Michelin to launch a wet-weather tire for the GT3 RS that promises to last longer than other tires available for the car.
The tyre in question is the new Michelin Pilot Sport S 5. These tyres are already used by a number of other manufacturers on their performance cars, but the ones used on the 911 GT3 RS have been specifically tuned for use on Porsches in wet conditions. According to Michelin, it is a combination of different tyres, including winter tyres and the ultra-high-performance Pilot Sport Cup 2 R for dry conditions.
Porsche began co-developing the special Pilot Sport S 5 compound with Michelin in 2022. The finished rubber has a 7.4mm tread depth and four large center grooves to repel as much water as possible. The tire can perform optimally in temperatures between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the most recent test, on the 1.7-mile wet track at the Michelin Development Circuit, the GT3 RS with the new Pilot Sport S 5 tires was 10 seconds faster per lap.
Like the other tires for the 911 race car, these new Michelins measure 275/35 ZR 20 at the front and 335/30 ZR 21 at the rear. They are available exclusively through Porsche Centers in the US, but pricing and product details have yet to be announced.
Previously, several tires from different brands were developed for the 911 GT3 RS. For example, Pirelli supplied the P Zero Trofeo RS; Goodyear developed the Eagle F1 SuperSport R and F1 SuperSport RS tires specifically for Porsche.
