Which brake pads for your first track day and the Nordschleife?
Which brake pads do you need for the track day or the Nordschleife? In short: production pads are made for the road and overheat quickly on the race track. For your first track day a sporty all-round pad like the Endless MX87 is usually enough, for regular hard track use a more heat-resistant race compound is worth it. Here you learn, in plain language, how to decide.
Why production pads reach their limit on the track day
On the road you rarely brake long and hard in succession. On the race track you do: lap after lap the brake converts kinetic energy into heat, and the pads get much hotter than in everyday use. Production pads are designed for comfort and cold bite, not for sustained heat - at some point the braking effect diminishes and the pedal goes soft.
That's not a material defect, but a question of the wrong tool. A pad for the track day has to keep a stable coefficient of friction at high temperatures. That's exactly what sport and race compounds are for.
Which brake pads really fit for track day and Nordschleife
The right choice depends on how often and how hard you drive. A simple rule of thumb:
- First track day or occasional track days with an everyday car: a sport compound like Endless MX87. It bites willingly even when cold, stays everyday-capable and takes far more heat than the standard pad.
- Regular hard track days or tourist drives on the Nordschleife: a race compound like Endless ME22 with a higher temperature window and more reserve against fade.
- Pure competition without road use: an uncompromising race pad like ME20 or MA45B, which only shows its potential up to temperature.
The Nordschleife is a special case
The Nordschleife switches constantly between full throttle and hard braking zones, but thanks to its long straights it brakes less continuously than a tight short track. For tourist drives, the ME22 is usually the ideal compromise: heat-resistant enough for long laps, but still manageable. Anyone who pushes their limits there should additionally think about a durable brake fluid.
Before the track day: don't think only about the pads
New sport pads want to be bedded in before use, otherwise they don't transfer cleanly and tend to pulsate. Schedule the bedding-in before the track day and check the condition of the brake fluid and discs at the same time.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I go to the track day with normal production pads?
- A single, calmly driven track day is often still doable with good production pads. As soon as you drive several hard laps in a row, they overheat and the braking effect diminishes. A matching sport compound is safer and more predictable.
- Do I really have to change the pads for a single track day?
- If you drive only once a year and conservatively, you can try it with good production or road sport pads plus fresh brake fluid - but then deliberately plan cool-down laps. For pure track weekends a second set of race pads is worth it, which you fit only for the track day and swap back for the road pads afterward. That way you drive quietly in everyday use and durably on the track.
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