PORSCHE AND MICHELIN UNLEASH A WET-WEATHER WEAPON FOR THE TRACK DAY JUNKIES
The track-day season just got a whole lot longer for those lucky enough to be able to afford a Porsche that they can track on weekends and mid-week office getaways. Porsche and Michelin have teamed up to develop a game-changing tyre for those who refuse to let a little rain—or even cold temperatures - keep them off the circuit. Enter the Michelin Pilot Sport S 5, a road-legal, wet-weather-focused track tyre designed specifically for the 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Porsche’s GT cars are all about precision, and that extends to the rubber they roll on. It’s why Porsche has worked closely with Michelin for years, fine-tuning tyres to extract every ounce of performance. But until now, hardcore track-day enthusiasts had to sit out wet conditions or risk skating around on ultra-high-performance dry tyres. Not anymore.
“Our performance-focused customers want to maximize their track time, even in spring and autumn when conditions aren’t ideal,” says Andreas Preuninger, Director of GT Vehicles at Porsche. “These new tyres significantly extend the usable season for the GT3 RS.”
The Pilot Sport S 5 isn’t just a tweak of an existing tyre - it creates an entirely new segment. It sits alongside the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, which is the ultimate dry-weather track tyre, but brings serious wet-weather grip, stability, and confidence to the equation. And because it’s fully road-legal, it also works for enthusiasts who live in cooler, wetter climates and want predictable, high-performance handling every day.
How It Works: grip, grip, and more grip - Michelin’s development process for the Pilot Sport S 5 has been as intense as a GT3 RS at full send. Testing began in 2022 at Michelin’s Development Centre in Ladoux, France, with Porsche test drivers - including Porsche Brand Ambassador Jörg Bergmeister - fine-tuning every aspect of the tyre’s performance. The key to its wet-weather domination? A specialized tread pattern with four deep central grooves (7.4mm depth, to be precise) designed to pump out water efficiently, reducing the risk of aquaplaning. More negative tread means more water evacuation, keeping contact with the road even when conditions turn gnarly. Then there’s the rubber compound - loaded with high silica content, ensuring fast warm-up times and maximum grip on damp and cold surfaces. The optimal operating range? Between 5°C and 15°C, a stark contrast to Porsche’s previous ultra-high-performance tyres, which need 15°C to 30°C to perform at their best.
"The Pilot Sport S 5 reaches temperature quickly," says Bergmeister. "In wet and cold conditions, the control and predictability it delivers when changing direction is outstanding."
To prove the new tyre’s credentials, Michelin put it to the test on the 2.8-kilometre ‘3bis’ circuit at their development centre. Running a 911 GT3 RS, Michelin test drivers saw lap times drop by more than 10 seconds compared to the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 N0 tyres. That’s not just an improvement - it’s a game-changer. While it’s designed primarily for wet-weather circuit use, the Pilot Sport S 5 isn’t a one-trick pony. Porsche and Michelin pushed it to its limits at the Nürburgring and Portimão in warm, dry conditions (over 20°C) to ensure it delivers strong performance outside of its core temperature range. The result is a tyre that maintains precise handling, stability, and confidence even when the sun makes a surprise appearance. Add in high wear resistance, and you’ve got a tyre that doesn’t just deliver more track time - it ensures that track time is fast and predictable. The Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 is now available for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, but they’ll be exclusively distributed by Manthey, Porsche’s go-to performance specialists based at the Nürburgring.
Take a look at the YouTube video that details the benefits and ingenuity crammed into the all-new tyre created for the best possible wet weather performance: New Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 (Jointly Developed by Porsche & Michelin) | Planet Car News
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