Tests 62 · 2 tests Owners 67 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 6 in The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R vs Dunlop Direzza 03G — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 2 + 0 road tests and 4 + 12 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: Pilot Sport Cup 2 R 66, Direzza 03G 65.
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Tests – · none yet Owners 59 · 12 reviews
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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79
Dry
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R +772Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Direzza 03G Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 79 ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 80 75 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R: 60% × 78.8 + 40% × 80.4 = 79
Direzza 03G: 60% × 70.6 (est.) + 40% × 74.8 = 72
No road tests of dry for Direzza 03G. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
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49
Wet
Direzza 03G +1564Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Direzza 03G Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 45 ≈ 65 (est.) Reviews found online 55 62 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R: 60% × 45 + 40% × 54.6 = 49
Direzza 03G: 60% × 65.4 (est.) + 40% × 61.9 = 64
No road tests of wet for Direzza 03G. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
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73
Comfort
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R +1162Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Direzza 03G Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 77 55 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R: 60% × 70.5 (est.) + 40% × 76.8 = 73
Direzza 03G: 60% × 66.7 (est.) + 40% × 54.9 = 62
No road tests of comfort for Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or Direzza 03G. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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66
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Direzza 03G Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) – Reviews found online 63 – Pilot Sport Cup 2 R: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 63 = 66
No road tests of noise for Pilot Sport Cup 2 R. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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63
Treadwear
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R +1350Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Direzza 03G Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 64 (est.) ≈ 57 (est.) Reviews found online 61 39 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R: 60% × 64 (est.) + 40% × 60.5 = 63
Direzza 03G: 60% × 57.5 (est.) + 40% × 39.2 = 50
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport Cup 2 R. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
No road tests of treadwear for Direzza 03G. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
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79
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R +673Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Direzza 03G Reviews found online 79 73
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | Dunlop Direzza 03G |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 65 |
| Dry | 79 | 72 |
| Wet | 49 | 64 |
| Comfort | 73 | 62 |
| Noise | 66 | – |
| Treadwear | 63 | 50 |
| Handling (owners) | 79 | 73 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
66
/ 100
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
65
/ 100
Direzza 03G
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
| Discipline | Category | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | Direzza 03G | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/5 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test | #2/6 2013 Auto Bild Track Day Semi Slick Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Pros
- Phenomenal dry grip providing a planted and confident feel on the track
- Optimized design specifically for extracting maximum performance during time attacks
- Superior circuit performance compared to the standard Pilot Sport Cup 2
Cons
- Extremely limited performance longevity, with grip dropping off rapidly after just a few laps
- Poor performance and safety risks in damp to wet conditions due to shallow and narrow tread patterns
- Best suited strictly for single-lap time trials rather than extended track sessions
Tire B Direzza 03G
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip and handling performance
- Highly communicative feedback and steering response
- Progressive breakaway characteristics at the limit
Cons
- Rapid tread wear and short lifespan
- Reports of sidewall disintegration or failure under extreme stress
- High noise levels during road use
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | B · Dunlop Direzza 03G |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 7 | — |
| Rim diameters | 20″ – 21″ | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
65
/ 100
Dunlop Direzza 03G
Too close to call: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R and Dunlop Direzza 03G are within 2 points overall. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R is stronger on treadwear, comfort and dry. Dunlop Direzza 03G is stronger on wet. Dunlop Direzza 03G rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 12 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop Direzza 03G scores 64 vs 49 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 63 vs 50 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 73 vs 62 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 79 vs 72 on dry.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Tire B · Dunlop Direzza 03G
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Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or Direzza 03G?
Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or Direzza 03G?
Dunlop Direzza 03G, 64 vs 49 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or Direzza 03G?
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, 79 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or Direzza 03G?
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, 73 vs 62 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or Direzza 03G?
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, 63 vs 50 on our treadwear score.
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology