It's the test we've all been waiting for, it's the first test of the brand new Bridgestone Potenza Sport, the only new tire in 2021 that has the chance of taking the fight to the established ultra high performance tires such as the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, Continental SportContact 6 and Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport.

Naturally, it's the best testers in the business doing it first, the German publication Auto Bild. They've tested nine 265/35 R20 UUHP tires in the dry and wet using a very un-european Ford Mustang.

Tire Reviews is due to test the new Potenza Sport, against 14 of its key rivals in an 18" size, so if you're not already subscribed, be sure to head over to the Tire Reviews YouTube channel and subscribe as that will be published in the coming weeks!

Can the Bridgestone Compete?

The biggest question is, can the new Potenza Sport really take the fight to Michelin, Continental and Goodyear? The answer, at least for this test, is a resounding yes!

The new Bridgestone Potenza Sport wins the test, and has the shortest dry braking, shortest wet braking, and fastest wet handling lap! The only one of the four key tests it was beaten in was dry handling, where it finished just 1.8% behind the Michelin, but the testers still reported it to have excellent handling and precise steering in the dry and wet.

The best of the rest went to the Continental Sport Contact 6. While it didn't win any test, and the testers found it to have a slightly high noise level, it was consistently close in all the tests, and had a dynamic sport driving behavio r in the wet.

The internet's favourite tire,  the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S placed third overall, winning dry braking and having the lowest noise on test, but could only manage mid pack during the wet handling lap and was the most expensive set of tires to buy.

The last of the "big 4" was the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport. Like the SportContact 6 it was consistent in all conditions, but couldn't quite match the best overall.

Dry

The new Potenza Sport led the way in dry braking, with the Goodyear just 0.1 meters ahead of the Continental and Michelin pairing.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S posted the fastest lap time by a considerable margin, and led the way subjectively. The Bridgestone could match the subjective handling of the Michelin, but not the time, and the Landsail and Berlin tires provided little grip or enjoyment.

Wet

The Bridgestone also led wet braking by a small margin.

Claiming three wins from the four key tests, the Potenza Sport was both the fastest and best handling tire on test, with direct steering and first class balance. The Vredestein Ultrac Vorti R and Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport were also reported to be excellent handling tires in the wet.

The Goodyear won the aquaplaning test, with a small margin to the second placed Falken.

Environment

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S was the quietest tire on test, matching the budget Landsail LS588.

The budge tire also had the lowest rolling resistance, a test the Goodyear and Vredestein struggled in.

Michelin wasn't the only expensive tire on test, with the Goodyear matching its price for four. The new Bridgestone was also expensive, but a full 75 euros cheaper for a set of four.

Results

1st: Bridgestone Potenza Sport
265/35 R20 99Y EU Label: C/A/73 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 1st 35.1 M 100% Dry Handling 2nd 98.2 Km/H 100 Km/H -1.8 Km/H 98.2% Wet Braking 1st 41.1 M 100% Wet Handling 1st 85.5 Km/H 100% Straight Aqua 3rd 74.6 Km/H 75.3 Km/H -0.7 Km/H 99.07% Noise 6th 72.9 dB 72 dB +0.9 dB 98.77% Price 7th 1055 500 +555 47.39% Rolling Resistance 6th 9.15 kg / t 7.62 kg / t +1.53 kg / t 83.28% The Potenza Sport is a new top class sports tire with excellent handling in the dry and wet, precise steering response, good balance, shortest wet and dry braking distances and good aquaplaning properties. Test Winner. Read Reviews    Buy from £241.36
2nd: Continental Sport Contact 6
265/35 R20 99Y EU Label: E/A/72 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 3rd 35.5 M 35.1 M +0.4 M 98.87% Dry Handling 5th 97.4 Km/H 100 Km/H -2.6 Km/H 97.4% Wet Braking 2nd 41.2 M 41.1 M +0.1 M 99.76% Wet Handling 4th 82 Km/H 85.5 Km/H -3.5 Km/H 95.91% Straight Aqua 6th 72.8 Km/H 75.3 Km/H -2.5 Km/H 96.68% Noise 8th 73.6 dB 72 dB +1.6 dB 97.83% Price 6th 985 500 +485 50.76% Rolling Resistance 2nd 8.57 kg / t 7.62 kg / t +0.95 kg / t 88.91% The Sport Contact 6 is an excellent tire with dynamic driving behaviour in the wet, short wet and dry braking distances, good comfort and low rolling resistance. Slightly high noise. Highly Recommended. Read Reviews    Buy from £232.24
3rd: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
265/35 R20 99Y EU Label: C/A/71 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 3rd 35.5 M 35.1 M +0.4 M 98.87% Dry Handling 1st 100 Km/H 100% Wet Braking 3rd 43.3 M 41.1 M +2.2 M 94.92% Wet Handling 5th 79.6 Km/H 85.5 Km/H -5.9 Km/H 93.1% Straight Aqua 7th 72.7 Km/H 75.3 Km/H -2.6 Km/H 96.55% Noise 1st 72 dB 100% Price 8th 1130 500 +630 44.25% Rolling Resistance 3rd 8.88 kg / t 7.62 kg / t +1.26 kg / t 85.81% The Pilot Sport 4S is a premium summer tire with sporty dynamic handling in the dry, precise steering, short wet and dry braking distances and low rolling resistance. Very expensive. Highly Recommended. Read Reviews    Buy from £249.14
4th: Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
265/35 R20 99Y EU Label: E/A/72 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 2nd 35.4 M 35.1 M +0.3 M 99.15% Dry Handling 4th 98 Km/H 100 Km/H -2 Km/H 98% Wet Braking 5th 45.1 M 41.1 M +4 M 91.13% Wet Handling 3rd 82.1 Km/H 85.5 Km/H -3.4 Km/H 96.02% Straight Aqua 1st 75.3 Km/H 100% Noise 7th 73.3 dB 72 dB +1.3 dB 98.23% Price 8th 1130 500 +630 44.25% Rolling Resistance 8th 9.6 kg / t 7.62 kg / t +1.98 kg / t 79.38% The F1 SuperSport is a sporty summer tire with a high level of balanced performance in the dry and wet, short dry braking distances, good comfort. Very expensive. Recommended. Read Reviews    Buy from £255.37
5th: Vredestein Ultrac Vorti R
265/35 R20 99Y EU Label: E/B/70 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 5th 36.7 M 35.1 M +1.6 M 95.64% Dry Handling 3rd 98.1 Km/H 100 Km/H -1.9 Km/H 98.1% Wet Braking 6th 46.4 M 41.1 M +5.3 M 88.58% Wet Handling 2nd 82.6 Km/H 85.5 Km/H -2.9 Km/H 96.61% Straight Aqua 3rd 74.6 Km/H 75.3 Km/H -0.7 Km/H 99.07% Noise 4th 72.2 dB 72 dB +0.2 dB 99.72% Price 4th 795 500 +295 62.89% Rolling Resistance 9th 9.86 kg / t 7.62 kg / t +2.24 kg / t 77.28% The Vorti R is a good performance tire with sporty handling, precise steering, short dry braking distances, and a good price to performance ratio. Slightly longer braking distances in the wet, increased rolling resistance. Recommended. Read Reviews
6th: Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3
265/35 R20 99Y EU Label: C/A/73 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 6th 36.8 M 35.1 M +1.7 M 95.38% Dry Handling 6th 97 Km/H 100 Km/H -3 Km/H 97% Wet Braking 4th 44.4 M 41.1 M +3.3 M 92.57% Wet Handling 6th 78.3 Km/H 85.5 Km/H -7.2 Km/H 91.58% Straight Aqua 5th 73.6 Km/H 75.3 Km/H -1.7 Km/H 97.74% Noise 9th 74.1 dB 72 dB +2.1 dB 97.17% Price 3rd 790 500 +290 63.29% Rolling Resistance 5th 9.11 kg / t 7.62 kg / t +1.49 kg / t 83.64% The S1 Evo3 has safe driving behavior and short braking distances in the dry and wet, with a direct steering response. Low aquaplaning resistance, high noise. Recommended. Read Reviews    Buy from £203.56
7th: Falken Azenis FK510
265/35 R20 99Y EU Label: C/A/71 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 7th 38.4 M 35.1 M +3.3 M 91.41% Dry Handling 7th 95.4 Km/H 100 Km/H -4.6 Km/H 95.4% Wet Braking 7th 48.6 M 41.1 M +7.5 M 84.57% Wet Handling 7th 78.1 Km/H 85.5 Km/H -7.4 Km/H 91.35% Straight Aqua 2nd 75.1 Km/H 75.3 Km/H -0.2 Km/H 99.73% Noise 5th 72.3 dB 72 dB +0.3 dB 99.59% Price 5th 810 500 +310 61.73% Rolling Resistance 4th 8.92 kg / t 7.62 kg / t +1.3 kg / t 85.43% Good safety reserves in aquaplaning, good handling in the wet. Long wet braking distances, understeer balance in dry handling. Fair. Read Reviews    Buy from £209.99
8th: Landsail LS588 UHP
265/35 R20 99Y EU Label: C/B/70 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 8th 39.2 M 35.1 M +4.1 M 89.54% Dry Handling 8th 93 Km/H 100 Km/H -7 Km/H 93% Wet Braking 9th 82.7 M 41.1 M +41.6 M 49.7% Wet Handling 8th 69.6 Km/H 85.5 Km/H -15.9 Km/H 81.4% Straight Aqua 9th 69.6 Km/H 75.3 Km/H -5.7 Km/H 92.43% Noise 1st 72 dB 100% Price 1st 500 100% Rolling Resistance 1st 7.62 kg / t 100% Very low rolling resistance. Limited wet grip, very long wet and dry braking distances, bad handling and poor aquaplaning resistance. Not Recommended. Read Reviews
9th: Berlin Tires Summer UHP 1
265/35 R20 99Y EU Label: B/C/73 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 9th 39.6 M 35.1 M +4.5 M 88.64% Dry Handling 9th 91.6 Km/H 100 Km/H -8.4 Km/H 91.6% Wet Braking 8th 59.6 M 41.1 M +18.5 M 68.96% Wet Handling 8th 69.6 Km/H 85.5 Km/H -15.9 Km/H 81.4% Straight Aqua 8th 70.6 Km/H 75.3 Km/H -4.7 Km/H 93.76% Noise 3rd 72.1 dB 72 dB +0.1 dB 99.86% Price 2nd 530 500 +30 94.34% Rolling Resistance 7th 9.19 kg / t 7.62 kg / t +1.57 kg / t 82.92% Low noise, low price. Very poor in the wet, dangerously long wet and dry braking distances, spongy unbalanced handling with poor steering response. Not Recommended. Read Reviews