EBC News Archives - 91��ý

SR-21™-Equipped Racers Secure More Podiums in Atlanta

Sam — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:00:13 +0000

Kal Fortner is using 91��ý Racing’s sintered brake pads on his Mercedes track car

Kal Fortner is competing in the 2026 season of Gridlife in the USA, using his Mercedes AMG GTS as weapon of choice.

The driver is utilising 91��ý Racing’s SR-21 sintered endurance motorsport brake pads to ensure stopping power is optimal in his super-coupe.

Following a podium finish at Grid Life Carolina, where he finished only behind another SR-21 for an EBC front-row lockout, Fortner came back fighting at the next round held at Atlanta’s iconic Michelin Road Raceway, where more podiums were clinched by both drivers.

Read how it panned out in his own words below…

“Going into this weekend, fresh off of a strong result at Gridlife Carolina coming in P2, I had so much confidence to give it my everything one of my all-time favourite tracks: Road Atlanta. To start out the weekend, I was met with some traffic during my flyers, so initially I wasn’t able to show what the true pace was. With this being a two-day, traditional time attack weekend with a limited schedule, the pressure was on to put together a perfect lap. On top of that, we had rain in the forecast for Sunday, potentially limiting us to only 3 dry sessions.”

“Road Atlanta is a very high-speed track, with the car hitting speeds of over 165 mph, putting the braking performance on centre stage. My SR-21s performed at their best, giving me the confidence to carry as much speed as possible into even the heaviest of braking zones, without a single ounce of hesitation, just full confidence. Ending the day on Saturday, I still never got a truly clean lap catching traffic on a track that is incredibly difficult to pass at, but even with this, I was able to put us into P3 going into Sunday.”

“Come Sunday morning, to my surprise, we had no rain! I knew exactly where I needed to find the time, and I did just that. Battling back and forth up until the last session, I ended the weekend in P2, with Eric Dewitt in P1, also on EBCs! Just like Carolina, this was an EBC Streetmod 1-2, and on top of that, in ClubTR, the entire podium was swept by EBC equipped cars! I couldn’t be prouder to show represent EBC in such a strong showing against such a strong field at one of the most difficult tracks in the world.”

Connect with Kal Fortner for more news and information:

SR-21 Race and Endurance Pads

A variation of SR-11 that offers ultra-high friction and is targeted for the front and rear of race cars with bias controls only. SR bites harder and lasts longer.

The post SR-21™-Equipped Racers Secure More Podiums in Atlanta appeared first on 91��ý.

Highs and Lows for GPFAX-Equipped BMW Motorcycle Racer at Donington

Sam — Thu, 28 May 2026 13:03:43 +0000

Bobby Varey is competing in BSB’s ROKiT OFF BMW F 900 R Cup

Preston-based Bobby Varey is currently competing in BSB’s ROKiT OFF BMW F 900 R Cup, entrusting 91��ý Racing’s GPFAX motorsport brake pads on his German race bike.

The latest round of the season to the one-make series to Derbyshire’s Donington Park, where a promising start ended in a dramatic off for Varey during Sunday’s racing action.

Read how it panned out in his own words…

“Friday started off strong with a P4 finish in Free Practice 1, followed by an even better result in Free Practice 2 where we secured Pole Position. Qualifying wrapped up the day with a P2 finish, just 0.07 seconds behind Nikki Coates, which placed us into Heat 2.”

“Saturday’s Heat Race 2 was a good race from start to finish coming out on Pole giving us confidence heading into Sunday’s main race. Drawing out the top 6 from each heat placing me 2nd on the grid for Sundays race.”

“Unfortunately, Sunday didn’t go as planned. During the warm up lap Scott Carson crashed at the bottom of Craner Curves directly in front of me, and despite my best efforts to avoid the incident, I sadly collided with him. This meant we were unfortunately unable to continue with the race.”

“A disappointing way to end the weekend after such a positive start, but we’ll regroup, rebuild, and come back stronger for the next round. Thank you to everyone for the continued support — it means a lot.

“Wishing Scott Carson a speedy recovery.”

Photo credit Camipix Photography – Motorsport

Connect with Bobby Varey for more news and information:

GPFAX Pads

EBC’s GPFAX Sintered Race Brake Pads are for RACE ONLY use.��This is a blend of brake pad that has higher friction and far better grip than any other brake product on the market.

The post Highs and Lows for GPFAX-Equipped BMW Motorcycle Racer at Donington appeared first on 91��ý.

Scratched or Damaged Brake Pads in Transit

Josh Russell — Thu, 28 May 2026 11:13:12 +0000

Scratched or damaged brake pads in transit

As a large global company selling millions of brake pads each year, many of our parts are shipped to the end user by us or our distributors via surface or even air parcel services.

We cannot control handling by the transporter and therefore need to have a realistic solution to making sure the product arrives with our customers in perfect condition.

Here is what EBC has done to mitigate transport damage:

Rationalised box sizes to minimise “Free space around the product“ and stop movement within the box itself.
Completely overhauled our factory packing procedures to use stronger, more robust laminated corrugate.
Made sure no metal or hard parts of any one pad in the set touches another – separating them from each other using card tubing to cover protruding clips or pins.

The warranty on EBC brake pads is comprehensive, not just in terms of their performance and fit, but understanding that the customer has every right to receive the product that they have paid for in perfect condition.

Therefore, on arrival always inspect your pads and note the comments in this flier notice, that is now being included in EBC pad boxes.

Here is the flier being placed in EBC pads going forward:

Assess if the pads are perfect and if any marks or damage are seen then do not fit but please take a photo and submit to our technical team on these email addresses:

UK: technical@ebcbrakesuk.com

USA: support@ebcbrakes.com

We will advise whether it is acceptable to fit and use the pads, or if they need to be replaced.

If you are a customer of an overseas distributor, please note that we may have to handle this through them.

The post Scratched or Damaged Brake Pads in Transit appeared first on 91��ý.

Podium Finishes for RP-X™-Equipped BMW Driver’s Debutant Outing

Sam — Wed, 27 May 2026 16:14:02 +0000

Gary Lowe uses RP-X and Bluestuff pads in his BMW 335i race car

Racing driver, Gary Lowe, has entered his first competitive race in his freshly-built E92 BMW 335i in the 750MC Armed Forces Challenge round at Silverstone recently.

The race follows a very promising shakedown session earlier in the year at Donington Park.

Lowe has opted for 91��ý Racing’s RP-X motorsport brake pads for the front axle, as well as 91��ý’ Bluestuff NDX pads (rear) and GD discs (all-round).

You can read how it all panned out below in Gary’s own words below…

“This weekend, we attended Rounds 1 and 2 of the Armed Forces Race Challenge at Silverstone National Circuit.

“Making the results even more special, this marked the very first race weekend for the car and myself, making it a huge milestone after 18 months of work preparing the car myself to get it race ready.”

“The weekend proved challenging from the outset, with intermittent boost issues that unfortunately remained unresolved throughout both races. Despite the setbacks, we kept pushing and were able to bring the car home in both races, securing a strong P3 in class during Race 1 and improving to P2 in class in Race 2.

“A huge positive from the weekend was the performance of the 91��ý package. The RP-X pads paired with the Bluestuff pads and discs performed flawlessly throughout the weekend, delivering consistent stopping power with zero brake fade and remaining sharp and reliable across both races.”

“Massive thanks to the Army Sports Car Racing Team, 91��ý, and KARLYONE CARE LTD for all of their continued support throughout the weekend. Your backing makes it possible for us to keep pushing forward, even during difficult race weekends.

“We’ll regroup, resolve the boost issues, and come back stronger for the next round at Snetterton 300 on the 20th of June.”

RP-X Track/Motorsport Brake Pads

Following the hugely successful launch of RP-1, 91��ý Racing increases its motorsport brake pad range with the introduction of our latest ultra-high-performance track & race material, RP-X.

View Product

Bluestuff NDX Street/Motorsport Pads

Reformulated for faster bedding and reduced early life fade –our recommended entry-level race pad. Medium-plus lifetime and the choice for several seasons in BMW Cup racing.

The post Podium Finishes for RP-X™-Equipped BMW Driver’s Debutant Outing appeared first on 91��ý.

Single Seater Racer Achieves Fourth in Class at Silverstone

Sam — Wed, 27 May 2026 10:23:24 +0000

Chris Levy uses Greenstuff pads in his lightweight Monoposto race car

The Monoposto Race Club has been offering cost-effective single-seater racing in the UK for over 60 years.

Chris Levy competes in the championship’s F3B class in his Dallara F397, complete with 91��ý’ Greenstuff pads.

The most recent round took the series back to the iconic Silverstone GP circuit, where Levy secured fourth-in-class.

Read how it all panned out in his own words below…

“It wasn’t without bad luck, as a high-speed spin at Abbey caused flat spots on the tyres, resulting in switching to last year’s tyres.

“In Race 1, I was very tentative due to rain during the race, so we were a little disappointed with P16 overall and P6 in class.”

“Rounds 4 and 5 of the Monoposto Championship were again at Silverstone, on the full GP circuit.

“A 42-car field, we qualified 14th overall and 4th in the F3B class.

“Race 1: we had a good race – we were catching 3rd, but sadly the race finished. We did finish 12th overall too.

“Race 2: we unfortunately were taken out at the very first corner.

“Our next race is at Snetterton in July…”

The post Single Seater Racer Achieves Fourth in Class at Silverstone appeared first on 91��ý.

EBC-Equipped Hudson Battles to Strong Seventh at Forest Edge

Sam — Wed, 27 May 2026 08:54:59 +0000

Marcus Hudson uses EBC’s Green kart pads as he competes in the British Championship class

Kart racer Marcus Hudson is once again campaigning in the Northern Karting Federation Super 4 British Championship for the 2026 season. Hudson relies on 91��ý’ Green kart pads for his fiery ABKC 250cc National kart.

Following some thrills and spills in his first round of the year at Fulbeck, Hudson has been back in the seat of his real-world machine for Round 2 of the championship at Forest Edge Kart Club. The weekend yielded a positive set of results, with the team rounding out the meeting with a hard-fought seventh-place finish in the final to back up a competitive set of heats.

Read on for Hudson’s account of the weekend in his own words…

Super 4 2026 British Championship Round 2: Forest Edge

Heat 1

“Starting from the second row, I got a strong launch and initially held position well. However, for the opening stages of the race I struggled badly with understeer, particularly through Midgets and Tilly’s, which allowed a kart behind to get through and dropped me back to fifth place.

“From there, the race became an intense battle for fourth. I spent virtually the entire heat tucked right under the rear bumper of the kart ahead, applying constant pressure and trying several different moves to find a way through. Despite a number of attempts, I just couldn’t make a pass stick and eventually crossed the line in fifth position.”

Heat 2

“Lining up 20th on the grid, I made a monster start and immediately gained several places by avoiding a couple of slow starters. By the first corner I had already climbed to 15th.

“On lap two I picked off two more karts, moving up into 13th, and from there the race became incredibly close. At the halfway point, positions fourth through to fourteenth were covered by just 10 seconds, showing how competitive the field was.

“On lap seven, I passed a slow-moving kart that appeared to be struggling with an issue, promoting me to 12th place. With two laps remaining, the kart behind managed to get a stronger run down the back straight and I lost the position again. The racing remained tight right to the flag in another highly competitive heat.

“On the final lap, a kart a couple of positions ahead spun on his own water, which shuffled the order once more in another hectic finish to an extremely close race.”

Heat 3

“I made an immediate gain on lap one with a move at Haynes Loop, before pulling off another pass out of Midgets heading into Climate. Early on, we found ourselves in a long train of karts all being held up by fifth place.

“Later in the race, I lost two positions going into Midgets, dropping me back to 10th, but the pack remained tightly bunched behind the battling karts ahead. On the following lap, heading down into Winger’s Dip, sixth place made a move underneath fifth. That forced fifth place off-line and created an opening for several of us to get through, keeping us right in the middle of the battle.

“From there I was fighting hard with the five karts ahead but, despite staying in the mix, I just couldn’t make a move stick.

“The race was eventually red-flagged with just under two minutes remaining after a kart went off entering Midgets — one of the fastest sections of the circuit, approached at around 95mph. Thankfully, the driver was okay.”

Final

“Our heat results put us eighth on the grid for the final.

“In the early laps the understeer issues returned, as we again struggled to get the tyres working quickly enough. On lap two I lost a place coming out of Midgets, but a retirement ahead soon promoted us back into eighth.

“From there, the race became a long battle for seventh with kart 59. I was slightly quicker in places and stayed right with him throughout the race, but despite the pressure I couldn’t quite find a way past. Towards the closing stages my tyres began to fade, although the two of us had managed to build a six-second gap back to ninth place.

“On the final lap, the race leader retired, which promoted us up to seventh position at the flag to round out the weekend.”

Post-Race Analysis

“It was a solid weekend and the first in years where we had no issues on either Saturday or Sunday, with nothing to fix and the kart running well throughout.

“After Round 2, the team sits 7th out of 24 in the championship standings.”

Stay tuned to hear how Marcus gets on as the 2026 Super 4 British Championship season continues…

The post EBC-Equipped Hudson Battles to Strong Seventh at Forest Edge appeared first on 91��ý.

Do I Choose Genuine Brake Pads or Aftermarket Brake Pads?

Josh Russell — Tue, 26 May 2026 15:18:11 +0000

Do I Choose Genuine Brake Pads or Aftermarket Brake Pads?

Of course, genuine manufacturer parts are good quality, or the manufacturer would not fit them in the first place.

However, there are certain tested and approved aftermarket brands that are 100% equivalent to genuine parts under the European R90 brake safety regulations, and these are explained here, especially for European built vehicles where these are very important.

The rules basically state that if an aftermarket brake pad carries R90 approval, it is a perfectly legal and safe replacement for original manufacturer parts.

This is what an R90 approved pad looks like, it has a unique number matched to every vehicle:

However, there are some drawbacks to using or buying original parts as replacements, as explained here:

R90 does not test for durability, so an aftermarket pad may even last longer than original.
R90 does not test for dust and, for many people, original pads – which are almost always semi-metallic and contain steel fibre – can be very dusty.
The big point for many drivers is that R90 limits the upper levels of braking performance for any given pad. If the pad is too grippy, it will not pass, and if it is not grippy enough, it also will not pass. So, R90 keeps brake pads within a defined performance range. The job of aftermarket brake pad manufacturers is then to push those limits and, at 91��ý, we make our compounds as grippy as possible while remaining within the maximum permitted levels.
THE PRICE… in almost all cases, aftermarket parts are far cheaper than original parts. However, don’t select a brake pad based on price alone, or you may downgrade your brake system significantly. Buy based on what you need by using our brake selector tool to choose your ideal EBC brake compound.
Often, original pad sets include hardware that does not normally require replacement, so why pay for it? Take slider shims or pressure clips, for example. Our recommendation is that if the hardware is not bent or dented, clean it up – including any loose pad pins – and reuse it, as a lot of low-cost aftermarket hardware does not match the original parts or shapes exactly. If you do need to buy new hardware, that’s when we recommend buying original parts, which are almost always sold separately by reputable vendors and, in most cases, cost under $10.

The post Do I Choose Genuine Brake Pads or Aftermarket Brake Pads? appeared first on 91��ý.

SR-21™ Front-Row Lock-Out at Gridlife Carolina

Sam — Thu, 21 May 2026 13:57:56 +0000

Kal Fortner is using 91��ý Racing’s sintered brake pads on his Mercedes track car

Kal Fortner is competing in the 2026 season of Grid Life in the USA, using his Mercedes AMG GTS as weapon of choice.

The driver is utilising 91��ý Racing’s SR-21 sintered endurance motorsport brake pads to ensure stopping power is optimal in his super-coupe.

We caught up with Fortner following the Gridlife Carolina round, where he secured P2 in class, just behind another SR-21-equipped driver, Eric ‘Dewey’ DeWitt.

Read how it panned out in his own words below…

“We ended up scoring P2 at Gridlife Carolina, and Dewey got P1 so we’re looking at an EBC front-row lockout!

“The first day, we battled the heat since temps were in the 90s, but on Sunday after putting in some sticker tires I was able to go 5 tenths faster than my previous personal best!”

“The SR-21s felt incredible all weekend and I really had the confidence to push into the braking zones and trust the ABS when needed.

“Next up is Atlanta and I really think we’ve got a good shot at getting P1 there, it’s a track that really suits the Mercedes and personally a track that I’m very comfortable at.”

Connect with Kal Fortner for more news and information:

SR-21 Race and Endurance Pads

A variation of SR-11 that offers ultra-high friction and is targeted for the front and rear of race cars with bias controls only. SR bites harder and lasts longer.

The post SR-21™ Front-Row Lock-Out at Gridlife Carolina appeared first on 91��ý.

91��ý Renews Partnership with Road Racer Maria Costello

Sam — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:00:44 +0000

Costello will use the firm’s braking components during her upcoming Isle of Man races

91��ý is delighted to renew a sponsorship deal with celebrated motorcycle racer, Maria Costello, ahead of this year’s Isle of Man TT campaign.

2026 marks the 30^th anniversary of Costello competing on the iconic mountain course, with considerable successes in both the Supertwin and Sidecar classes under her belt in previous years.

Costello – born just a stone’s throw from 91��ý’ global HQ in Northampton – also held the Guinness World Record for being the fastest woman to lap the Isle of Man course (114.73 mph) until 2009. Her achievements led to her earning an MBE for her services to motorcycling in 2009.

91��ý had a close relationship with Costello during the earlier stages of her career – a relationship that has been rekindled for 2026 with the firm supplying its 91��ý Racing GPFAX brake pads and XC-Series floating discs for the rider’s Aprilia RS660 across the season.

“It’s great to have 91��ý back onboard, especially for the upcoming TT and my 30th anniversary of competing around the Mountain Course, as they have been a part of my career in the past and this feels like a full-circle moment,” Costello commented during a recent visit to the firm’s Northamptonshire headquarters.

Stay tuned to hear more about Costello’s achievements throughout the year.

Connect with Maria Costello for more news and information:

GPFAX Pads

EBC’s GPFAX Sintered Race Brake Pads are for RACE ONLY use.��This is a blend of brake pad that has higher friction and far better grip than any other brake product on the market.

X-Series Floating Discs

Since their introduction, EBC’s ultra-lightweight floating motorcycle rotors have become one of the worlds best selling lightest and best performing discs available for all modern sport bikes.

The post 91��ý Renews Partnership with Road Racer Maria Costello appeared first on 91��ý.

91��ý Newsletter – May 2026

Sam — Wed, 20 May 2026 11:30:53 +0000

A round-up of the latest products and news stories from 91��ý this month

LATEST EBC PRODUCTS

F66 Mini Cooper S – Six-Piston Apollo Big Brake Kit

Six-piston Apollo big brake kit for the latest generation of this acclaimed hot hatch

Specs:

Six-piston Apollo calipers (front axle), 355x32mm two-piece fully-floating discs (front axle), Bluestuff brake pads (front axle), braided brake lines (front axle), DOT 4 brake fluid and mounting brackets for direct fitment

Product Codes:

BBK069RED/BLU/BLK/YEL-1
BBK069-1F (competition kit with RP-X pads)

Vehicle Applications:

MINI Coper S (F66: ’25- ) – 2.0 Turbo
MINI Coper S JCW (F66: ’25- ) – 2.0 Turbo

Availability:

Available now. Please to find your local EBC stockist and see a full list of applications.

Ineos Grenadier – Six-Piston Apollo Big Brake Kit

Six-piston Apollo big brake kit for this rugged, go-anywhere 4X4

Specs:

Product Codes:

BBK068RED/BLU/BLK/YEL-1

Vehicle Applications:

Ineos Grenadier (’22- ) – 3.0 Turbo
Ineos Grenadier (’22- ) – 3.0 Turbodiesel
Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster (’22- ) – 3.0 Turbo
Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster (’22- ) – 3.0 Turbodiesel

Availability:

Available now. Please to find your local EBC stockist and see a full list of applications.

LATEST EBC NEWS

EBC’s Cars, Bikes & Coffee ’26 Event a Sizzling Success

The 91��ý UK team enjoyed a morning in the sun as it hosted the 2026 instalment of its ‘Cars, Bikes & Coffee’ at its Northampton World Headquarters.

Attracting hundreds of eclectic vehicles, it proved to once again be a fantastic event, with good coffee, good food and good company from start to finish.

91��ý would like to thank every company and individual who made it down for the morning – we hope you enjoyed the event as much as we did.

Full story: click here

EBC News Archives - 91��ý

SR-21™-Equipped Racers Secure More Podiums in Atlanta

Kal Fortner is using 91��ý Racing’s sintered brake pads on his Mercedes track car

Connect with Kal Fortner for more news and information:

SR-21 Race and Endurance Pads

Highs and Lows for GPFAX-Equipped BMW Motorcycle Racer at Donington

Bobby Varey is competing in BSB’s ROKiT OFF BMW F 900 R Cup

Connect with Bobby Varey for more news and information:

GPFAX Pads

Scratched or Damaged Brake Pads in Transit

Scratched or damaged brake pads in transit

Podium Finishes for RP-X™-Equipped BMW Driver’s Debutant Outing

Gary Lowe uses RP-X and Bluestuff pads in his BMW 335i race car

RP-X Track/Motorsport Brake Pads

Bluestuff NDX Street/Motorsport Pads

Single Seater Racer Achieves Fourth in Class at Silverstone

Chris Levy uses Greenstuff pads in his lightweight Monoposto race car

EBC-Equipped Hudson Battles to Strong Seventh at Forest Edge

Marcus Hudson uses EBC’s Green kart pads as he competes in the British Championship class

Super 4 2026 British Championship Round 2: Forest Edge

Heat 1

Heat 2

Heat 3

Final

Post-Race Analysis

Do I Choose Genuine Brake Pads or Aftermarket Brake Pads?

Do I Choose Genuine Brake Pads or Aftermarket Brake Pads?

SR-21™ Front-Row Lock-Out at Gridlife Carolina

Kal Fortner is using 91��ý Racing’s sintered brake pads on his Mercedes track car

Connect with Kal Fortner for more news and information:

SR-21 Race and Endurance Pads

91��ý Renews Partnership with Road Racer Maria Costello

Costello will use the firm’s braking components during her upcoming Isle of Man races

Connect with Maria Costello for more news and information:

GPFAX Pads

X-Series Floating Discs

91��ý Newsletter – May 2026

A round-up of the latest products and news stories from 91��ý this month

LATEST EBC PRODUCTS

F66 Mini Cooper S – Six-Piston Apollo Big Brake Kit

Ineos Grenadier – Six-Piston Apollo Big Brake Kit

LATEST EBC NEWS

EBC’s Cars, Bikes & Coffee ’26 Event a Sizzling Success

SPONSORED RIDER/DRIVER UPDATE