The current Porsche 911 GT3 RS is one of the fastest road-legal sports cars on the track, but weather conditions aren’t always optimal. That’s why Porsche has teamed up with Michelin to produce new wet-weather tires for the GT3 RS, which promise an “extended track season” and have a longer lifespan than other tires offered for the model. The tires are called the Michelin Pilot Sport S5, which are already used by other companies on their high-performance models, but the ones for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS have been specially developed for Porsche’s models with a focus on cold and wet weather. The tires join the existing line of three sets that Michelin sells for the GT3 RS, including winter tires and the Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ultra-high-performance tires for dry conditions.
Porsche and Michelin began developing the special Pilot Sport S 5 compound in 2022, and the final version of the tire features a 7.4-millimeter tread depth and four large central grooves to disperse as much water as possible. The tires also contain a higher proportion of silica than usual, allowing them to function optimally in temperatures between 4 and 16 degrees.
The difference between these tires and the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 dry-weather tires is significant. On Michelin’s 2.7-kilometer development track, the GT3 RS with the new Pilot Sport S 5 tires is more than 10 seconds faster per lap.
Just like the other tires offered for the track-focused 911, these new Michelin tires come in sizes 275/35 ZR 20 at the front and 335/30 ZR 21 at the rear. They are available exclusively through Porsche Centers.
“We are responding to the demand of our performance-oriented customers, who have expressed their desire to spend more time on the track during the spring and autumn. The new tires significantly increase the annual operating period of the 911 GT3 RS,” said Andreas Preuninger, Head of GT Vehicles at Porsche.
Several other tire models have previously been produced for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Pirelli offers its P Zero Trofeo RS tires, while Goodyear has developed special Eagle F1 SuperSport R and F1 SuperSport RS tires for this car.