Upgrading your tires doesn't necessarily mean ups
izing them.
When you install wider tires without changing anything else, the size of the tire’s contact patch (i.e., the rubber touching asphalt) stays relatively constant. That size is based on a tire’s overall diameter, inflation pressure, and the weight acting on it. Installing fatter tires widens the patch, but it also shortens it front-to-back. Because of this, cornering gains can be offset by diminished straight-line traction, including braking and hydroplaning resistance. The increased mass and friction can also translate to slower lap times and a drop in fuel economy.
If you want to improve cornering grip, you’re better off switching to a higher-performance tire of the same size. Buy right, and you’ll get a stiffer sidewall for crisper turn-in and steering feel, as well as a stickier rubber compound and a tread pattern focused on dry grip.
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