Michelin IMSA Insider: The Story Behind ‘Vision’ Tread Pattern

Fans lean in. Drivers stare. Is that a wet tire? Why is there a pattern on a slick? The new Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance tire is challenging what people think a racing slick should look like.

That curiosity turned viral when an IMSA Instagram reel of an employee touching the tire to Stan Bush’s The Touch racked up more than 6.1 million views, proving that this design is sparking conversation.

“People naturally come up and touch the tire,” said Raymond Cotton, director of motorsports, Michelin North America. “It is a kind of unnatural response to the tire, right? It really puts the slick in a new light.”

That attention is backed by development. After extensive testing virtually and on track, the Rolex 24 at Daytona marks the global competition debut of the Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance tire.

It will serve as the competition tire for the IMSA GTP class and the FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar class, continuing to unite the world’s top prototype racing on a single Michelin platform.

So what exactly is the Vision tread pattern?

It’s inspired by Michelin’s Vision concept tire—an illustration of the company’s long-term sustainable development model and its roadmap toward using 100 percent sustainable materials by 2050.

“The pattern really gives the tire an organic form and a shape,” said Cotton. “It’s interesting. People actually want to interact with the race tire.”

The Vision concept tire is defined by an alveolar structure, similar to coral, that balances flexibility and rigidity.

Like a natural object, the Vision concept is designed with a full life cycle in mind: its creation, growth, renewal and ultimately its end of life—each stage forming part of a continuous process that doesn’t harm the environment.

The Vision tread pattern will often wear away within the first few laps on track. That’s intentional.

Its purpose isn’t to change on-track performance, but to draw attention and invite fans, teams and drivers to look beyond the surface and understand what’s inside the tire.

Beneath the tread pattern, the Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance tire contains approximately 50 percent renewable and recycled materials, including recovered carbon black, bio-sourced resins, natural rubber and recycled steel.

While the visible pattern may fade quickly, the technology and materials at the core of the tire are leading to better warm-up, improved longevity and more consistency.

“We are not giving up in performance,” said Cotton. “We’re gaining in all areas and making the product considerably more sustainable.”

Now, when you see this pattern on a Michelin slick and someone nearby wonders what it is, you can tell them: it’s the Vision tread pattern.

An invitation to learn about what’s inside and how Michelin uses motorsport to drive innovation towards a more sustainable future.