Top performance on the track is inconceivable without the right tyres. Only by choosing the right track day tyres is it possible to exploit the full potential of vehicles on the racetrack. Different tyres are specifically designed for certain track and weather conditions, vehicle types and racing series. From treadless slicks for dry conditions and grippy rally tyres to intermediate tyres and track day wet tyres, choosing the right tyres is an important success factor.
In this HDX guide, you will learn all about different tyre types and their properties, such as grip, warm and cold pressure, behaviour and durability, to ensure everything goes smoothly on track days.
Racing drivers use tyres that have been specially developed for respective applications and high speeds. Thanks to the variety of track day tyres, teams are able to adapt to respective conditions in the best possible way. The most conspicuous type are slicks, which, unlike tyres approved for road use, have no tread at all. In addition, there are various variants that have a more or less pronounced tread pattern and offer the optimum solution for certain conditions.
Many ask why do racing cars have smooth tyres – the answer is grip. As slick tyres have no tread, they have a large contact area with the road – perfect for maximum grip and excellent cornering stability on dry roads. Without any tread, slicks cannot drain water, which is why these track day tyres can only be used in appropriate conditions. Slick tyres are purely racing tyres and must not be driven on normal roads, as drivers can lose control of the vehicle in certain situations due to the tyres' lack of grip.
Semi-slicks are a hybrid between slicks and road tyres. Their minimal profile ensures that these track day tyres guarantee sufficient grip even in slightly wet conditions. On a dry track, semi-slicks offer considerably more grip than tyres with a thicker tread. Although semi-slicks are often also road-legal, they are not suitable for everyday use due to their behaviour in the wet. Their intended use is reserved for racing and track driving.
The line between (ultra) high-performance tyres and semi-slicks is blurred. While semi-slicks are optimised for the race track, (ultra) high-performance tyres are based on racing and are suitable for production vehicles in road traffic. (Ultra) high-performance tyres offer outstanding grip, excellent steering and cornering behaviour and shorter braking distances than slick tyres. Their handling characteristics in the wet are also better.
In the rain, wet grip is particularly important on the racetrack. With their tread pattern, track day wet tyres ensure that water is effectively drained away and aquaplaning is prevented. The tyres are also made of a softer rubber compound than slicks and can therefore be used in cooler temperatures. One disadvantage of wet tyres is that they wear out more quickly on a dry racetrack – at which point it is time to switch to slick tyres.
Temperature and air pressure influence the performance of motorsport and high-performance track tyres. For a tyre to provide optimum grip, it needs the right tyre temperature and the best tyre pressure for track day conditions – and these factors influence each other. In racing in particular, it is important to bring the tyres up to the appropriate operating temperature, whether by warming them up and/or using tyre heating blankets before the start.
Experienced motorsport professionals set the air pressure of cold tyres so that the inflation pressure in the tyres is optimal after warming up. When driving, the tyres are constantly deformed so that the temperature of the tyre rises and with it the race car tyre pressure. The tyre manufacturer Hankook recommends a maximum tyre pressure of 2.7 bar for race car tyres.
If cold tyres have too little air pressure, they are deformed more when driving, which causes the temperatures on the tread and surface to rise particularly sharply, as does the pressure inside the tyre. If the tyre pressure is too high, the deformation is less, so that the temperature required for optimum grip may not be reached at all or warming up may take longer. Professionals who want to know exactly measure the temperature of their track day tyres with special sensors.
Professionals fill the track day tyres with the tyre pressure recommended by the manufacturer before they start warming up. After a few laps, the tyres warm up and the pressure increases. When the track is dry, drivers can reduce this pressure again slightly to achieve optimum grip. In wet conditions on the racetrack, the slightly increased pressure usually does not need to be adjusted.
If you venture onto the racetrack with new tyres, you should warm them up carefully to achieve a balance between temperature and pressure. If you brake or drift too hard, you will make your tyres smoke spectacularly, but you will increase track day tyre wear considerably, shortening their service life.
Experienced racing drivers even use tyre pressure to improve the handling of their vehicle. To reduce oversteer, they choose a lower tyre pressure for the wheels on the rear axle. They reduce understeer by lowering the air pressure on the front axle.
Racing is proving to be a driver of innovation not only for vehicles, but also for tyres: the high-performance tyres used in various motorsport disciplines such as the technically demanding Formula E involve long development times and innovative materials. These are ideal prerequisites for a technology transfer to high-performance tyres for high-performance production vehicles.
A good example is Hankook: the South Korean tyre manufacturer works closely with the FIA, racing series and racing teams to develop high-performance tyres for motorsport and track days. For example, Hankook has optimised the ventus iON tyre for the challenges of Formula E based on its ventus model, which has proven itself in motorsport.
The technologies behind the successful ventus iON are now also available for fully electric series vehicles and high-performance models such as the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N: Particularly resistant aramid fibres counteract the strong deformation forces of the high all-electric torque.
In addition to the stable driving behaviour at high speeds, they are also specially designed for the higher load-bearing capacity of electric cars with battery packs. The rubber compound of the treads ensures reduced abrasion and the resulting longer service life. Thanks to the high proportion of natural oils, the iON tyres are more sustainable and have a better mileage.
Would you like to improve your driving skills at racing speed? During track driving on legendary racetracks, you will learn from experienced HDX instructors how to master challenging chicanes, confusing sections of track and fast sprints on long straights.
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