Nankang Sportnex CR S

The Nankang CR-S delivers nearly perfect handling balance in both wet and dry conditions. It collects less pick-up than most of the field during the long run, keeping the tread surface cleaner over extended use. On the hot lap it was the slowest of the ranked semislicks, and at the limit it does not turn in quite as precisely as the Pirelli or Vitour. Dry braking is slightly held back by extra ABS intervention. In the wet it is one of the better performers, close behind the Yokohama in handling and solid under braking. It is a well-rounded tyre with no major weaknesses, though it does not stand out in any single test either. Set weight is on the high side at 54.0 kg.

The Nankang Sportnex CR-S impressed with surprisingly pleasant road damping and moderate noise, plus nice steering with accuracy and immediate reaction. Wet track performance was its weakness with the slowest laps, longest braking, and uncontrolled sliding that demanded careful, separated inputs. Dry conditions brought substantial transformation with competitive pace, strong braking, excellent mid-corner grip, and quick, authoritative steering, though communication remained limited. On the long road course it was uncommunicative but very fast with plenty of traction everywhere—braking, power, mid-corner—but lacking the feel to combine these elements confidently. Noticeable performance drop across laps but still very capable. Wear analysis showed excellent durability with only 0.5mm loss on ribs and 1mm on outboard shoulder, among the best in the test.