Ceramic vs Semi-Metallic Brake Pads: Which Is Better for Racing?

For racing, the choice between ceramic and semi-metallic fundamentally changes how your car brakes.

Semi-Metallic Pads

30-70% metal. Excellent heat dissipation up to 700°C+. Strong friction, good modulation.

Ceramic Pads

Low noise, low dust, gentle on rotors. But temperature ceiling is 400-500°C — too low for sustained track use.

When Semi-Metallic Wins

In our endurance testing, semi-metallic maintained within 5% of peak friction over full race distance. Ceramic showed 15-25% degradation.

Recommendation

• Daily + occasional track: Ceramic or hybrid
• Track car (driven): Semi-metallic street/track
• Track car (trailered): Full race semi-metallic