R27 is the new DC Brakes racing friction compound developed primarily for sprint racing and intensive track use.

When developing R27, the goal was not simply to achieve the highest possible coefficient of friction. Instead, the focus was on finding the optimal balance between braking performance, pedal control, consistency, and wear life.

Controlled Braking Performance

R27 is a high-friction racing compound, but its characteristics have been deliberately tuned to avoid an excessively aggressive initial bite.

This makes the car more predictable at the limit and gives the driver greater control over braking force through the pedal.

The compound is designed primarily for sprint racing, Time Attack, Track Days, and other applications involving repeated high-intensity braking, where fast response, consistency, and precise brake modulation are essential.

R27 is particularly well suited for vehicles equipped with high-performance multi-piston braking systems, where an extremely high coefficient of friction is not always an advantage.

R27 Friction vs. Temperature


The R27 friction curve has been developed to provide a strong yet controllable braking response, with the coefficient of friction increasing progressively as temperature rises and remaining highly consistent throughout the primary operating range.

This predictable behavior helps maintain consistent pedal response and braking balance as brake temperatures change throughout a track session.

Balance Between Performance and Wear Life

A racing brake pad must not only generate the required braking torque but also maintain its performance throughout demanding track sessions.

R27 is positioned between extremely aggressive sprint compounds and endurance-focused pads designed primarily for extended wear life.

Its friction formulation has been engineered to provide longer wear life than the most aggressive racing compounds, while retaining the response and braking characteristics expected from a dedicated sprint racing pad.

This allows an R27 pad set to remain in service longer without requiring the driver to move to a less aggressive endurance-oriented compound.

DC FrictionLock™ — Mechanical Friction Material Retention

Racing brake pads are exposed to extreme temperatures and braking forces that generate significant shear loads at the interface between the friction material and the steel backing plate.

R27 features DC FrictionLock™, a combined mechanical retention system designed to mechanically secure the friction material to the backing plate.

The working surface of the steel backing plate incorporates a large number of specially formed micro-hooks. During the pad molding process, these hooks become embedded directly into the friction material, creating numerous mechanical attachment points and distributing loads across the surface of the backing plate.

The system is further reinforced by protruding wearable anchors that extend significantly deeper into the friction material. These anchors create additional mechanical retention points and increase resistance to movement of the friction material relative to the steel backing plate under severe braking loads.

A key feature of these anchors is the material from which they are manufactured. As pad thickness decreases, the anchors are designed to gradually wear together with the friction material, allowing the usable friction material thickness to be utilized without interference from the retention system.



DC FrictionLock™ therefore combines two levels of mechanical retention — surface-distributed micro-hooks and deeply integrated wearable anchors — supplementing the bond between the friction material and backing plate and increasing the mechanical integrity of the brake pad under extreme operating conditions.

Engineered for Extreme Loads

The R27 construction is designed specifically for the conditions encountered in motorsports, including:

  • High operating temperatures
  • Repeated heating and cooling cycles
  • High shear loads between the friction material and backing plate
  • Repeated high-energy braking events
  • Use with high-performance braking systems

DC FrictionLock™ complements the performance characteristics of the R27 racing compound and increases the mechanical integrity of the pad under operating conditions far beyond those typically encountered in street use.

R27 — Control Without Excessive Aggression

A modern racing brake pad is about more than simply achieving the highest possible coefficient of friction.

A fast lap requires predictable braking torque, precise modulation, consistent performance, and usable wear life.

R27 was developed around exactly that balance.

R27 — a sprint racing compound designed to deliver exactly as much brake as the driver needs.

Coming Soon: DC Brakes RE26

R27 will not be the only new racing compound joining the DC Brakes lineup.

Coming soon, we will introduce RE26, a new friction compound developed specifically for endurance racing and extended operation under sustained high temperatures and demanding race conditions.

While R27 prioritizes performance, control, and the characteristics required for a fast sprint pace, the philosophy behind RE26 centers on long-term consistency and extended wear life over endurance distances.

Full specifications, operating temperature range, and additional details about the new DC Brakes RE26 will be revealed in a separate announcement.


WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including silica, which is known to the state of California to cause cancer, and lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.