Track tyres: semi-slicks and R-compounds
Semi-slicks. Measured in sessions, not kilometres.
Road-registered competition tyres with minimal tread. They need heat to work, give the fastest lap times short of full slicks, and have little margin in standing water. Best run as a dedicated second set on their own wheels.
- Suits
- 150 kW/t and up, or any car on a race track
- Treadwear
- 40–140
- Typical life
- A handful of track days
- Speed ratings
- Y
Good for
- Dedicated track use
- Time attack and racing
- A second set of wheels
Think twice if
- Driving to and from the track in rain
- Road use
Are semi-slick tyres road legal in Australia?
Many semi-slicks carry DOT or E-mark approval and are technically road legal, provided they meet the placard size, load and speed ratings and keep at least 1.5 mm of tread. In practice they have little margin in the wet, so most drivers run them on a second set of wheels for track days.
Character
- Dry grip
- 5 out of 5
- Wet grip
- 1 out of 5
- Below 7 °C
- 0 out of 5
- Snow & ice
- 0 out of 5
- Quiet & comfort
- 0 out of 5
- Tread life
- 0 out of 5
- Efficiency
- 0 out of 5
Leading track tyres
- PremiumTyroola
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Near-slick OE tyre for the fastest road-legal cars.
- PremiumTyroola
Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS
Record-setting semi-slick; needs heat.
- Premium
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport RS
Semi-slick with a wide working window.
- Mid-rangeTyroola
Yokohama Advan A052
Very fast warm-up for time attack; wears quickly.
- Mid-rangeTyroola
Toyo Proxes R888R
Durable semi-slick, a track-day staple.
- ValueTyroola
Nankang Sportnex AR-1
Budget semi-slick with big grip.