The soon-to-roll-out Ferrari 488 Pista supercar will be fitted with specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 K2 ultra-high-performance tires in sizes 245/35 ZR20 (front) and 305/30 ZR20 (rear).
The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 K2 is the latest generation of Michelin’s road-legal track tires and features two innovations: an adapted tread design, with increased sidewall stiffness to absorb transverse forces and allow faster cornering; and a bespoke aramid belt that optimizes the ease of control.
Compared to the Pilot Sport Cup 2 K1-marked tire designed for the Ferrari 458 Speciale, the Cup 2 offers improved lap times by providing more grip and sportier handling. It also provides drivers with a unique balance between safety and driving enjoyment making it suitable for everyday road use as well as the demanding conditions on the racetrack.
The co-development of these tires took 14 months, during which they were fine-tuned in dynamic simulation sessions with Ferrari to ensure they achieved the characteristics demanded by Ferrari engineers for the new 488 Pista.
Pierre Chaput, Ferrari 488 Pista tire designer, said, “Ferrari’s ambitions pushed us to develop very high-tech tires for the 488 Pista, where the grip limits are significantly increased compared to the 458 Speciale.
“With the help of simulation tools, widely used on this project, we have been able to develop a tire whose contact patch is maximized under all circumstances, while guaranteeing safety performance, such as aquaplaning, at the same level as those of the 458 Speciale.”
March 14, 2018
