Published September 11, 2025
Located adjacent to our South Bend headquarters, our test track allows our team to discover how each tire will behave under the extremes of emergency situations on the road or the limits of performance in competition.
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Each tire model is tested and independently scored 1-10 on comfort and performance. We are the only retailer performing in-house, independent tire tests.
Length: (17:11)
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 96W SL
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 96W SL
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 96W SL
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 100W XL
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 (100Y) XL
Extreme Performance Summer
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 (100Y) XL
2024 BMW M2
We've said often that our road course test is one of our favorites of the year, and this season's is no exception to that perennial rule. So much so that we went a little crazy this time around, with three times as many tires as last year, including fulfilling some long-standing requests and multiple categories. We're looking at Racetrack & Autocross tires, a racing slick, and a heap of Extreme Performance Summer tires. Links to the other reports can be found here: Pilot Sport GT M vs Hoosier R7, Racetrack & Autocross Only Tires, Extreme Performance Summer Tire Real-World Ride & Drive Report and Extreme Performance Summer & Track Tire Test.
This report will be focused on the 19" Extreme Performance Summer tires and their performance at a local road course - where we had room to stretch their figurative legs on our BMW M2 test vehicle and really put them through the kind of high speeds and hard cornering they were designed to accommodate. No wet testing, no road rides, only the unfiltered track experience. Naturally, we will include lap times for each tire, with their time off the lead tire listed in parentheses, in addition to our own experiences driving them, so you can decide which characteristics matter most alongside their raw ability.
This test also introduces a new wear analysis method: high-resolution images were taken of each tire in its brand-new state, and then again after eight laps. By overlaying these images, we generated a topographical "heat map" that highlights areas of compound loss or gain, revealing patterns of wear, rubber pickup, and material migration. This visual data provides insight into how each tire responds to track use beyond lap times and subjective feedback.
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 96W SL
The g-Force Rival + hangs its hat on consistency and longevity first; that's the marketing, that's the sales pitch, and taking it out on the track, that was largely what we found. It wasn't the fastest tire we tested (it had the slowest average lap in this group, though it was a close group), but it brought largely pleasant, compliant characteristics to the table.
Braking felt strong, steering was appropriately weighty in the hands. More front axle traction would help it lead through extended cornering, where we needed to bleed off speed or scrub the tires. It was generally well-balanced and reliable: both positively and negatively. It was consistent where it fell short and consistent where it excelled.
Wear: Almost nothing to see here, BFGoodrich's new compound held up very well after several runs. Unsurprising, perhaps, for an endurance-focused tire, but nice to see reinforced with data.
Fastest Lap: 99.63 (-1.25)
Average Lap: 101.35 (-1.57)
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 96W SL
The faster, grippier, "speed first" older brother to the g-Force Rival +, the g-Force Rival S 1.5 impressed throughout with strong traction and notable front-end authority, offering a confident and intuitive steering response. It had the ability to hold pace through long sweepers and quick transitions, with a wide, stable grip envelope that encouraged aggressive inputs.
The g-Force Rival S 1.5 remained composed and balanced even loaded into a turn, and responded predictably to throttle application mid-corner. It stayed consistent over multiple laps, with minimal falloff and excellent communication throughout. It wasn't the absolute fastest tire we drove, but it was competitively close and easily one of the most pleasant to track.
Wear: Definitely some more noticeable wear compared to its sibling, particularly along the central ribs and a bit deeper into the outboard shoulder.
Fastest Lap: 99.7 (-1.32)
Average Lap: 100.14 (-0.36)
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 96W SL
This category titan delivered a well-rounded, cohesive experience on track. There was no single standout trait but rather a seamless integration of all the traits a driver expects to find in a performance tire at this level: steering, grip, and balance, all working in harmony. While it lacked the front-axle sharpness of some other options, it rewarded smooth inputs and allowed for confident cornering throughout.
Braking performance remained strong, and while there was some fall-off after the first lap, it plateaued predictably and maintained consistency from there. It was more demanding to drive at the absolute limit, but overall, it proved once again to be a highly competent and composed performer with the fastest times in the group.
Wear: Keeping with the RE-71RS trend of being the "most" of just about everything, it also saw the most total loss of surface area, 1mm across nearly the entire tread face, and while there was some deeper 2mm loss among the leading edges of the ribs, it was fairly evenly distributed.
Fastest Lap: 99.38
Average Lap: 99.78
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 100W XL
Largely because it's not a wholly new tire, the Azenis RT660+ deserves comparison against its predecessor (which we drove last year) as much as any other tire in this group. Despite being "merely" an iteration on the Azenis RT660, Falken seems to have taken prior feedback to heart. Whereas the previous tire needed a bit of adjustment, and was driven more with the rear, the Azenis RT660+ was balanced, easy to handle.
Steering was pointy and alert, just blending everything together into a cohesive whole without any truly bad habits. After the first lap, it remained consistent too. It wasn't quite up to the overall traction capabilities of the other tire in the test, but it was a kinder, gentler experience.
Wear: The center rib of the Azenis RT660+ experienced a 1.5mm loss along the leading edge, and a similar amount along its outboard shoulder, but little outside of that.
Fastest Lap: 99.88 (-1.5)
Average Lap: 101.10 (-1.32)
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 (100Y) XL
Another returning tire from last year's test, the Sportnex CR-S could be summed up in just a few words: uncommunicative, but very, very fast. It was a similar story this year. It had plenty of traction wherever it was needed: during braking, channeling power, mid-corner, but it didn't have the communication or the handling characteristics to combine any of these things. It was hard to sync up with or be fully confident in the tire as result.
There was some noticeable drop in ability from the first to second lap and even moreso from the second to the third. The Sportnex CR-S was still very capable, but there were simply easier tires to get better results from.
Wear: Only losing about .5 mm on its ribs and just 1mm on the outboard shoulder, the Sportnex CR-S was one of the best tires in the test for wear.
Fastest Lap: 99.43 (-1.05)
Average Lap: 100.57 (-0.79)
Extreme Performance Summer
A brand new option for Tire Rack as of this writing, the Tempesta P1 P-01R has garnered quite a bit of interest, and we were excited to put this one to the test. What we found was... pretty good. It was capable, but in selective ways. Braking was notably strong, almost surprisingly so - if nothing else, it was one of the best we tested. Lateral traction was decent, comparable to the pack.
Combining inputs was where it ran into trouble: the steering was again, decent, but trying to time it with braking or accelerating didn't feel natural. It would push at the front under acceleration if we hadn't finished dialing in our steering. It was consistent after the first lap, however - and put up the second fastest average lap times, even if it didn't feel the best to drive.
Wear: At a glance, the Tempesta P1 P-01R doesn't look like it's lost a lot, but the outboard shoulder shows a 2 ~ 2.5mm loss of tread, with some noticeable 1mm loss on the intermediate ribs.
Fastest Lap: 99.64 (-1.26)
Average Lap: 100.08 (-0.3)
Extreme Performance Summer
275/35R19 (100Y) XL
A stalwart performance tire, the ADVAN A052 gave us strong, confident performance with well-matched lateral and longitudinal grip that inspired trust, whether on throttle or braking. The front end was accurate but could have benefited from more immediacy and precision to better match the rest of the tire's capabilities. It was quick, predictable, and easy to drive hard without demanding constant correction. Across laps, it had only a modest drop-off, more gradual than some of its competitors, allowing for a focused, composed drive.
Wear: Another tire that experienced very little wear over the testing duration, the ADVAN A052 saw some minor wear along the intermediate ribs around .5mm, and at the very edge of the outboard shoulder, some narrow 1mm lows.
Fastest Lap: 100.2 (-1.82)
Average Lap: 100.88 (-1.1)
Extreme Performance Summer tires can be a tricky bunch to talk about. Lap times are certainly important, and this group in particular was very tightly knit. Yes, the difference between the fastest average times and the slowest was a full second and a half (which can feel like an eternity in a race), but most were very close, and that difference might be more in how closely the driver can sync up with their equipment, their tires and their ability than just raw grip.
It's one of the reasons testing at this level matters: the right fit for a driver might not be the tire with the best lap times, but the one that allows them to feel the most in control. Nothing costs more time than an error, and the right fit is critical to avoiding mistakes.
That said, BFGoodrich's g-Force Rival S 1.5 was still mighty quick and one of the few tires we've driven that holds a candle to the intractable lead of Bridgestone's Potenza RE-71RS. Both tires were wonderful on the track in pretty much every respect one could ask an Extreme Performance Summer tire to be: blending inputs, delivering power, braking, and holding on through high-speed cornering. Moreover, both blended their capabilities together in a way that made them feel good to drive.
Some tires deliver a lot of raw technical capacity for speed or grip while eschewing the most important part of any partnership: communication. These did not make that mistake. Yokohama's ADVAN A052 was similarly balanced in this regard, and deserves praise for simply being a very nice tire to drive hard, it just didn't quite keep pace with the other two.
Vitour's Tempesta P1 P-01R makes an impressive freshman outing here, displaying the kind of raw ability that shows it deserves a seat at the table with the second fastest average lap times and powerful brake force. Unfortunately, it lacks the refinement and poise of much of its competition and those rough edges hold it back a bit from more forgiving tires to drive.
BFGoodrich's other tire in the test, the g-Force Rival +, is an interesting tire to consider among this group. It was notably the slowest on average, but it put up a decent fast lap, and considering its primary focus is endurance and consistency and not the raw speed and grip of its category brethren here, this was a pretty good showing.
Falken's refresh in the form of the Azenis RT660+ is another curiosity worth considering. It's certainly a much friendlier tire to drive than past iterations, but it feels like it's also lost a bit of personality in the exchange.
Finally, Nankang's Sportnex CR-S remains every bit the raw power, technically capable tire we found testing it previously, but it's also every bit the disconnected, uncommunicative, digital-input tire we found previously too. The capability is there, but it takes the right kind of driver to want to work with its particular temperament on the track.
Ready for a new set of Extreme Performance tires? Find the right tires for you at Tire Rack, with free shipping to over 10,000 Recommended Installer tire shops.
We can't help ourselves, we're always testing more tires out on the track. It's a good thing too, because with so many different categories and so many different features to evaluate, there aren't many places you're going to find this type of in-depth analysis. It's not a stretch to say with each tire test we do, you're going to learn something new - and maybe even find your next set of tires.
Seven Extreme Performance Summer tires get put through our test program to see who comes out on top.
We tested six Extreme Performance Summer tires on the road, our test track, and at a road course to measure their performance, nuanced differences across each venue, and even threw in a Max Performance Summer tire to illuminate how EPs came to dominate.
We tested six Extreme Performance Summer tires on the road, our test track, and at a road course to measure their performance, nuanced differences across each venue, and even threw in a Max Performance Summer tire to illuminate how EPs came to dominate.
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