Brakes and tyres for track days

By Chris Pollitt · updated 7 November 2026

Ask anyone who's done a few track days what goes first and they'll say the brakes. A road car's brakes are designed for the odd hard stop, not braking from high speed every 20 seconds for a whole session. Tyres come a close second. Getting both right makes the day safer, cheaper and a lot more fun.

Brake fluid

Brake fluid absorbs water over time, and wet fluid boils at a much lower temperature. When it boils, the pedal goes soft and long, often at the end of the fastest straight. This is the most common brake problem on track, and the cheapest to avoid.

• Change the fluid before your first track day if it's more than a year or two old.
• Use a high-temperature DOT 4 fluid designed for track use. It costs a little more than standard fluid and has a much higher boiling point.
• Bleed the brakes properly, or have a garage do it, so there's no air in the system.

Brake pads

Standard road pads are fine for a first day in most cars, as long as there's plenty of material left. If you start doing track days regularly, a fast road or track pad will cope with heat far better. They can be noisier and dustier on the road, so many regulars swap pads before and after a track day.

Check pad thickness at lunchtime. Pads can wear surprisingly fast on track, especially in heavier cars.

Brake fade and how to avoid it

Fade is when the brakes get so hot they stop working as well. You'll feel the pedal go firm but the car won't slow as it should, or you'll smell burning. If it happens, back off, do a slow lap and come in.

• Do a cool-down lap at the end of every session with very little braking.
• Don't sit in the pit lane with your foot hard on the brake pedal. It can transfer pad material onto hot discs.
• Don't use the handbrake when the brakes are hot. Leave the car in gear instead.
• Brake hard and in a straight line, then come off the brakes completely, rather than dragging them through corners.

Tyres

Road tyres are fine for track days. You don't need semi-slicks to have a good day, and wet weather is far more common in the UK than people plan for. What matters is that the tyres are in good condition, with decent tread, no cuts or bulges, and the same type on each axle.

Tyre pressures

Pressures rise a lot as tyres heat up on track. Too high, and the car slides and wears the shoulders. Take a gauge and check pressures as soon as you come in, while the tyres are still hot. Let air out to bring them back to a sensible hot figure, rather than starting the day with low pressures, which can damage tyres on the first laps.

Ask the instructor or other drivers with the same car what hot pressures they use. Write down what you started with and what you ended with, so you have a baseline for next time.

Tyre wear

Track driving wears the outer edges of the tyres, especially on the front of front-wheel-drive cars. Check them at lunch. If the tread is nearly gone on the shoulders or you see cords, stop. You still need to drive home.

Upgrades worth having

1. Fresh high-temperature brake fluid.
2. Better brake pads, if you're doing more than a couple of days a year.
3. Good tyres in the right size, rather than budget tyres.
4. Braided brake hoses on older cars, for a firmer pedal.

Bigger brake kits look great but aren't needed for most road cars on track days. Fluid and pads come first. For everything else about the day, read your first track day.