Household historical past usually dictates particular person persona traits–it’s true with people, automobiles and tires. Bridgestone has a protracted and storied historical past in motorsports with main successes from the grassroots degree all the best way as much as F1.
Nonetheless, main tiremakers derive most of their income from OE fitments for highway automobiles, not aftermarket alternative or specialty merchandise for racing. Often all three line up, like when a tire mannequin is developed for a particular automobile–on this case, the Lamborghini Huracán STO.
Supercars have a particularly broad efficiency envelope and should have tires to match all makes use of. At the start, they need to ship a superb on-road expertise, since that’s how most house owners will use these automobiles. Trip high quality and noise are key traits, as are steering response and management authority.
A supercar just like the STO is more likely to see observe utilization as effectively, so its tires should additionally carry out effectively on the restrict. Predictability and consistency beneath heavy loading are simply as essential as fundamental grip–the latter wanted in heavy doses for a 630-horsepower rocket ship. In brief, it wants a trackable road tire.
Against this, aftermarket alternative tires aimed instantly at motorsports use can take some liberties with streetability. Homeowners worth observe efficiency far more than road manners. In reality, some drivers put on a stiff and noisy highway experience as a badge of braveness, reminding them each day of their automobile’s observe prowess. Consider these as streetable observe tires.
Each approaches qualify to put on the Potenza moniker, Bridgestone’s trademark for high-performance tires. On the pointy finish of every subject sits the Potenza Race and the Potenza RE–71RS.
Whereas we’ve a number of hands-on expertise with the latter, the Potenza Race was initially only a blip on the radar because it was strictly OE-only for the track-focused Lambo again in 2021. A yr later, we went to full alert with the information that Bridgestone would leverage its improvement right into a full vary of sizes for the alternative market. And now, we’ve lastly put eyes on the goal and might instantly evaluate the efficiency every method delivers.
We tapped our Triple Menace ND-chassis Miata undertaking automobile because the check mule and chosen 225/45R17 as one of the best fitment between the 2 strains of tires. The Potenza Race targets bigger, extra highly effective functions, whereas the RE–71RS tends towards smaller fitments: The 2 strains overlap essentially the most with 17- and 18-inch diameters.
Our check tires had been mounted on 17×9-inch Kogeki wheels from Flyin’ Miata, and every was given an preliminary warmth cycle with a spherical journey to the observe plus six laps at an ever-increasing tempo.
We added a 3rd contender to our check plan, a bigger set of RE–71RS tires in a 245/40R17 dimension left over from a earlier undertaking. This may give us a well-recognized mixture for each baseline and bracket classes in addition to one other sizing knowledge level.
Our road classes offered an opportunity to check every tire’s highway persona. The Potenza Race was merely a delight on this regime. Very linear steering response gave a sporty really feel, whereas the softer carcass and sidewalls had been taut with out being harsh. Maybe its best attribute was merely how quiet it was for a 200tw track-oriented tire.
Against this, the RE–71RS offered a extra progressive steering response with a robust on-center really feel. Its stiff carcass transmitted each bump, although the softer compound soaked up the extra minor irregularities. The blocky tread design traded top-of-the-line cornering efficiency for a relentless freeway drone that solely obtained worse because the tread wore.
Check day on the observe dawned scorching and solely obtained hotter, with ambient temps starting from 85° to 95° throughout the half day of testing. Full solar additionally rapidly warmed the Harris Hill Raceway observe floor.
Our break-in prep classes had revealed some important warmth soak challenges that we tried to mitigate on check day by protecting our two check topics cooling in our motor dwelling till referred to as into motion.
Alone on the observe because it went inexperienced, we spent 20 minutes on the 245s, cleansing up the in a single day dustiness till lap occasions stabilized into acquainted territory. After brief break for the tires to chill off, we started our check.
Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS
- 245/40R17
- quickest lap: 1:26.2
This set of RE-71RS tires had a number of prior classes on them, so the tread was properly damaged in however nonetheless had a full-depth really feel–squirmy on the restrict and extra sudden breakaway than when worn to decrease depths. Regardless of the warmth, they had been pretty constant throughout the laps, however the fast time nonetheless got here early on lap two with a 1:26.2.
Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS
- 225/45R17
- quickest lap: 1:26.9
After bolting on the recent set of 225mm-wide RE-71RS tires, we tried to duplicate the efficiency of the bigger dimension however fell a bit brief. As anticipated, the brand new tires delivered two very fast laps previous to warmth soaking. At that time, the full-tread RE-71RS howled with suggestions when pushed arduous. Fast time was a 1:26.9.
Bridgestone Potenza Race
- 225/45R17
- quickest lap: 1:27.6
The Potenza Race’s highway persona continued on the observe. The place the RE-71RS’s steering really feel ramped up as cornering hundreds elevated, the Potenza Race stayed pretty linear. This made it a bit of tougher to anticipate the boundaries of adhesion till we had been over them.
Mitigating this was a really progressive breakaway that allowed simple restoration. These traits mixed for a really enjoyable expertise on a well-balanced automobile, as each ends are labored towards one another. Whereas its quickest lap was solely a 1:27.6, it might repeat it constantly. We stayed out simply to see how lengthy it might take for the tire to fall off–and it by no means did.
Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS (retest)
- 245/40R17
- quickest lap: 1:26.4
Bracketing our check with a repeat of the 245s netted a slight slowdown in tempo, with the info exhibiting us dropping time all within the straights. With the excessive temps, the automobile’s drivetrain was merely not placing out fairly the identical energy as after we began. Nonetheless, this gave us confidence within the veracity of our comparative check outcomes, particularly given the pretty massive margins.
The Potenza Race (far proper) is taller, with much less tread width than the same-size RE-71RS (center).
Monitor Check Outcomes
Drawing Conclusions
Bridgestone’s efficiency goal throughout improvement of the Potenza Race was the Michelin Sport Cup 2, and impartial testing in Europe confirmed the Potenza to be superior in each lap occasions and longevity. Mix that with our outcomes right here, and the Potenza Race finds a house within the market for these trying to put down constant, high-quality laps whereas nonetheless delivering glorious highway manners.
The RE-71RS remains to be higher for single-lap time trial competitors, however you’ll pay a streetability, consistency and longevity worth for that tempo. Both approach, Bridgestone has you lined.
Feedback
I like that we are able to all the time depend on Andy thorough tire assessments.
(And if there are any tires you need examined, be at liberty to tell us.)
One other nice check and article; thanks!
It appears foolish that the tire referred to as “Race” is the one which’s extra targeted on road manners. Once I noticed the title of the tire I assumed it might be a sub-200TW borderline track-only tire.
In reply to CrashDummy :
A number of years in the past, a good friend within the tire enterprise reached out: Would I thoughts taking a fast survey relating to the title of an upcoming tire?
The entire names had been alphanumeric, nevertheless it was cool to get a bit of glimpse into the precise course of.
CrashDummy mentioned:
It appears foolish that the tire referred to as “Race” is the one which’s extra targeted on road manners. Once I noticed the title of the tire I assumed it might be a sub-200TW borderline track-only tire.
Virtually just like the OE aspect of the home would not speak to the motorsports aspect? 😉
Observe that the much more “road” Potenza is known as Potenza Sport.
My guess is you get extra mileage out of the ‘race’ naming on a road tire than a extra observe oriented tire. It will be an even bigger market and a race tire depends extra (though I am certain nonetheless not totally) on precise lap time efficiency to promote. So that they most likely save the cool names for the road tires.
Andy Hollis mentioned:
Observe that the much more “road” Potenza is known as Potenza Sport.
Which isn’t a nasty tire in any respect for a performance-oriented road automobile. I’ve them on my Audi as a result of the PS4S was on nationwide back-order after I wanted new tires, and IME they’re virtually nearly as good because the Michelins in principally each approach. 🙂
I admit, after I obtained the preliminary launch concerning the Potenza Race, I pictured an R-comp–you understand, one thing with simply two grooves.
It does sound like a fairly candy road tire, although.
Streetable tire know-how merely amazes me. With all of the mega-horsepower automobiles accessible right this moment (and even the plethora of 300+ hp Wagon Queen Household Trucksters), it is merely wonderful to me how the tires handle all of it. The engineering and supplies science is unimaginable.
Thanks for the overview.
Was wanting on the Falken 660’s for the Miata / AW11, however now I’ve to rethink and add a Bridgestone to the record for the following road tire. Recognize the overview, seems like a enjoyable tire!
By the best way, trace, trace, our Ultimate Track Tire Guide has been up to date.
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