Dunlop is open to developing a new Supercars tyre for 2026 following positive feedback on its current-generation soft compound introduced for the 2025 season. The tyre has been credited with improving grip, durability and thermal performance, contributing to closer racing and faster lap times.
Kevin Fitzsimons, Dunlop Motorsport’s Supercars operations manager, said the tyre had met all performance goals and outperformed the older super soft compound in various conditions. With full production of the 2025 season’s tyres already completed, any potential updates would be targeted for next year.
At Taupō — the first round this year to feature both the new soft and the older super soft compounds — lap time comparisons highlighted the soft’s competitive edge. Matt Payne clocked a 1m25.7006s on the soft tyre during Saturday qualifying, over half a second faster than Will Davison’s 1m26.2526s on the super soft.
Fitzsimons noted the newer compound allows more aggressive driving without major thermal penalty, aiding car control and reducing degradation — two key metrics in race strategy and tyre evaluation.
With 2025 tyre production locked in through to Sandown, Dunlop is now considering what a next-generation super soft might look like. Initial discussions with Supercars stakeholders are underway, with Fitzsimons confirming they could begin testing new concepts later in the year.
“We could get some test tyres knocked up and get them here and then go into production... probably November or thereabouts to be here in Feb for the start of [next] season,” he said.
Dunlop’s willingness to pursue an upgraded compound highlights how motorsport continues to serve as a live testing ground for tyre technology. Improvements in grip, recovery, and degradation observed in Supercars are likely to influence high-performance road tyres, particularly for EV applications where thermal control and consistency are critical. The feedback loop between racing and R&D remains central to performance tyre development.
Tagged with: Dunlop Supercars tyre, soft compound, super soft tyre, motorsport tyre testing, Supercars Australia, high-performance tyres, tyre degradation, thermal recovery, EV racing tyres
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