Sports · Motorsport · 46 mins ago
Supercars says wet-tyre differences cannot be avoided
Supercars teams say wet tyres have varied in performance from one stint to another, including at the recent Gold Coast 500.
Dick Johnson Racing had also pointed to tyre differences as a likely cause of Todd Hazelwood’s poor opening stint at The Bend 500.
The tyres can come from different production batches, because they are made over time and kept in reserve for races where rain may or may not fall.
Unlike slick tyres, they have no batch codes, so teams cannot check their age, and storage conditions can affect their hardness.
Supercars motorsport boss Tim Edwards says there is no practical fix, because the series needs thousands of wet tyres available and may not use them for years.
Dunlop introduced a softer wet tyre in 2023, and it has been praised for its performance in very wet conditions.
The differences may remain a feature of wet-weather racing, with Edwards saying the system has been used for many years; wet conditions were also expected at Sandown.
Supercars says differences between wet tyres cannot be avoided because the tyres are made over time and stored until needed.
Teams have blamed tyre differences for major changes in performance between stints at the Gold Coast 500.
Supercars motorsport boss Tim Edwards said teams would otherwise have to discard hundreds of tyres at every race.
Wet tyres can vary in hardness, including within a batch, and teams cannot identify their exact age.
Dunlop introduced a softer-compound wet tyre in 2023, alongside the move to Gen3 cars.
- Who
- Supercars and teams competing in the championship. Supercars motorsport boss Tim Edwards responded to the complaints.
- What
- Teams raised concerns about differences in wet-tyre performance. Supercars says those differences cannot be avoided.
- When
- The issue was discussed after the recent Gold Coast 500. The article was published on 7 November 2026.
- Where
- The concerns were raised in the Supercars paddock, including after races at the Gold Coast 500 and The Bend 500.
- Why
- Wet tyres are made over a long period and kept in storage because rain is unpredictable. Their hardness can vary, and teams cannot identify their exact age.
Supercars
Teams raising concerns
Tyre differences
Supercars
Edwards says wet tyres naturally vary because they are produced over time and stored until needed.
Teams raising concerns
Teams have blamed tyre differences for major performance fluctuations between stints.
Addressing the issue
Supercars
Edwards says matching tyres to one batch for each race would mean discarding 500 tyres per race.
Teams raising concerns
Teams have tested tyre hardness and say they found significant differences.
Dunlop introduced a softer-compound wet tyre alongside the move to Gen3.
Dick Johnson Racing raised wet tyres as the likely cause of Todd Hazelwood’s poor opening stanza.
Several teams blamed wet tyres for major performance fluctuations between stints.
Supercars running began in wet conditions, with more showers predicted during the day.
- Wet-tyre supply
- About 3,000 tyres are kept available, according to Edwards.
- Tyre disposal estimate
- 500 tyres per race if all wet tyres were from the same batch.
- Tyre identification
- Wet tyres do not have batch codes.
- New wet tyre
- Dunlop introduced a softer compound in 2023.
- Team concern
- Teams reported significant hardness differences in tests.
What people are saying
there is no solution
It’s an unfortunate reality.
It’s never been raised before.