Should i upgrade track-day brake pads for cold performance?

[Ella.C]

I’m trying to decide if it’s worth upgrading my brake pads to a more aggressive compound for track days, but I’m worried about the trade-off with cold performance on the drive to the circuit. Has anyone else dealt with that compromise?

[PaulW]

Tried aggressive friction compounds for track days and the drive to the circuit felt numb until they warmed up. They squeal and take longer to bite when cold, which made the road trip feel edgy.

[SamuelBR]

I stuck with a moderate compound and kept expectations in check. Cold they felt fine on the highway and on track they performed once warmed.

[Brandon33]

We swapped to a more aggressive pad and the first session faded after a couple laps, so we backed off and focused on keeping temps under control.

[Aurora70]

Maybe the real issue is cooling and rotor temps rather than the compound, so we fiddled with airflow and watched temps, but the answer still felt elusive.