Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 Connect: the connected tyre to improve your lap times on track

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 tyres are highly regarded by users of high-performance sports cars. Now, Michelin presents an evolution, the Pilot Sport Cup2 Connect, which become the first “connect ready” tyres on the market.

Their compatibility with the Michelin Track Connect solution is not the only novelty these tyres bring. Designed mainly for track use, they are also approved for road use. Thanks both to the innovations they offer over the Pilot Sport Cup2 and to the possibility of fitting Track Connect, Michelin announces spectacular improvements in lap times.

Up to 0.8 seconds of improvement in lap times

Yes, you read that right. According to Michelin, with the new Pilot Sport Cup2 Connect you gain 7.9 seconds over a 10-lap session compared with the Pilot Sport Cup2. The figure comes from an internal study carried out by the brand at the Valencia Circuit with a Porsche 911 GT3, and on track 3 at Ladoux, at Michelin’s technical centre in France, with a Renault Megane RS.

Michelin also provides another figure: based on the optimal pressure and temperature recommendations made by the Track Connect kit, a faster and more consistent driving style is achieved. In this case, an improvement of 7.4 seconds over a 15-lap consecutive session at the Andalusia Circuit (Almería), with a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, is reported.

The technology applied in the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 Connect

To achieve these improvements, the Pilot Sport Cup2 Connect are loaded with technology; some of it was already used in the previous generation of this tyre, in its “unconnected” version. On the one hand, the materials used in construction stand out, with two layers of polyester, two of steel and one of polyamide. The crown of the tyre includes a layer of rubber beneath the steel cords that form the structure, which improves precision.

The high-density nylon and aramid belt applied beneath the tread also contributes to this. In addition, it is lighter than an equivalent steel one and offers five times the strength.

Other technologies applied include the Bi Compound tread with an asymmetric pattern. The outer and inner zones are made with different high-molecular-chain elastomers to provide the best grip in dry conditions (outer part of the tyre) and in wet conditions (inner part), with greater rolling efficiency. And reinforcements in the shoulder area improve wear under intensive track use.

A tyre ready to be connected

The advantages of the new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 Connect are even greater if you take advantage of its connectivity. The tyre is already prepared to accommodate the sensor needed to work with the Michelin Track Connect solution, which is sold separately. This kit includes the sensors for the tyres and the receiver, which is installed inside the vehicle.

It works with the free Track Connect app, which has just been updated with new features. Here you can read about what the Michelin Track Connect kit consists of and the different modes it offers, to become a complete “virtual engineer” at your disposal during your track sessions.

Available for 17- to 21-inch wheels, the new BMW M2 CS is the first production vehicle to have approved the new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 Connect as original equipment.