PFC 01 on Track: The Benchmark Pad, and Where You Can Still Get It
01 is the pad PFC built its reputation on, and PFC still calls it "the standard by which all brake pads are judged." If you read track-pad threads from ten or fifteen years ago, 01 is everywhere. Today it is harder to find: PFC replaced it with 11 in many pad shapes, and owners on the BMW forums started calling it discontinued around 2015. It has not gone away, though. It is still on PFC's current compound list and still made for a number of cars.
This article is part of our guide to PFC pads for track cars. Every 01 shape we list is in the 01 collection.
What PFC says
| 01 | |
|---|---|
| Family | Sprint / medium distance (with 11) |
| Torque | "Good initial bite, with very little torque rise with temperature" |
| Release | "Less torque scatter than the competition for improved modulation with excellent release" |
| Wear | "Good disc conditioning properties with low wear" |
| Intended use | Touring car, TCR, NASCAR, formula, rally, track days; "first choice for a fade-resistant pad" |
| Replacement | "In many applications if 01 is not available, 11 compound will replace it" |
The defining trait is the flat curve. PFC's friction-versus-temperature line for 01 barely moves from cold to hot, which is the opposite of 11, whose friction rises as it heats. An M2 owner on f87.bimmerpost described the old-school 01s as "slightly more mu than the 08's but more consistent across the temp range" — which is exactly what the curve shows. PFC publishes no numbers.
What owners remember about it
The bite
Owners who have run 01 talk about it the way Hawk owners talk about DTC-70. "The best pads I have used were performance friction PF.01's, rip your face off stopping power," wrote a poster in a 997 GT3 thread on 911uk. An m3post regular who runs S54 and S65 cars said his favourite pad "was the PFC01 (now discontinued) which despite its fast wear rate had incredible and relentless bite." A 996 GT3 owner comparing it with Pagid said that "for the closest performance to RS29's you need to get PF01, the race pad." Most of these posts are from before 2016.
Wear and rotors
Owners disagree on wear, as they do about every PFC compound. One called the wear rate fast; another, on an E90 thread, wrote: "They are kind to rotors and bite all day." A Miata driver on a big brake kit said his 01 fronts "lasted a long time - probably 20-30+ track days, were predictable and I learned to modulate the brakes with these pads." Owners who moved from 01 to 11 found the 11 "not as aggressive" and "kinder to my PFC rotors."
Bedding and noise
01 was sold as needing less careful bedding than some brands, but one Miata driver found "PFC 01 do require some bedding. Especially used PFC 01 pads seem to take 1-2 sessions before they bite a rotor with another pad's transfer layer on it." On noise, one 911uk poster "wouldn't suggest those for road use", and an m3post owner noted that newer 01s come with anti-rattle clips, which "helps a little on the noise."
Where it still makes sense
On cars where it is still made. The clearest current case among the cars we stock is the FR-S, BRZ and 86, where we carry 01 for the factory front calipers. An FR-S owner on ft86club ran 01 front with 13 rear on an AP Racing big brake kit and wrote: "Great bite, modulation and feel, this combo was the best feeling performing I have used on the car with 200 treadwear tires." He also found the limit: "When I switched to R-comp tires, the balance and modulation were thrown out of whack and pad wear increased greatly." He rated pad life at "3-4 events, 3 hours per event" on 200-treadwear tires.
As a rear pad behind a stronger front. On the 992 GT3 Cup, a large PFC dealer recommends 39 or 13 at the front with "the 11 or 01 rear".
On a Miata with big brakes, 01 front with 97 rear was a long-lived combination.
Where 01 is not made in your shape, the answer is 11. PFC says so itself.
Which cars run it
| Car | How it's run | Our 01 pads |
|---|---|---|
| FR-S / BRZ / 86 (2013–20) | 01 front on the factory calipers is still made. One owner ran 01 / 13 on an AP big brake kit: great on 200-treadwear tires, out of balance on R-compounds. | Factory calipers: front 0929.01 · 13 rear 1124.13 |
| BMW E36 / E46 / E9x M3 | The old favourite; largely replaced by 11 in these shapes since about 2015. | See the 11 article. |
| Porsche 996 / 997 GT3 | Recommended for bite in older threads. | See the 11 article. |
| Miata (big brake kits) | 01 front, 97 rear; "20-30+ track days" from the fronts. | Depends on the kit — tell us the caliper. |
| 992 GT3 Cup | Rear, behind 39 or 13 fronts (dealer advice). | Tell us the caliper. |
We also stock 01 in several race-caliper shapes. If you run an aftermarket caliper, give us the caliper model or the pad shape number and we will check.
01 pads ready to ship
 01 Front — FR-S / BRZ / 86 (0929.01) $287.95 Shop on Enzuca → |
 13 Rear — FR-S / BRZ / 86 (1124.13) $239.95 Shop on Enzuca → |
Browse every shape in the 01 collection.
The Bottom Line
01 is a strong, consistent pad with a flat torque curve, and owners who ran it remember the bite. In many shapes it has been replaced by 11, which PFC describes as the same family with better bite, modulation and release. If 01 is still made for your car and you want that pedal, it is worth running; if not, buy 11.
Not sure of your shape? Tell us the car and caliper and we will confirm before you order.
Related guides
- PFC brake pads for track cars: which compound, car by car
- PFC 08 on track, car by car
- PFC 11: the new 01, and where it beats the 08
- PFC 97 as a rear pad, and why 08 replaced it
- Best PFC brake pads compared
- Pagid brake pads for track cars, car by car
- Hawk brake pads for track cars, car by car
- How to choose track brake pads
- Track day brake fade: prevention and recovery