The invention relates to a mechanical seal comprising a rotating slide ring and a stationary slide ring defining a sealing gap therebetween, one of the slide rings having at least a first row of a plurality of first grooves with a foot region on a first radius and a head region on a second radius wherein a second circumferential sliding region is provided between the head regions of the radially outermost row of grooves of the slide ring and an outer radial edge of the slide ring, the other of the slide rings having at least a second row of a plurality of second grooves with a foot region at a third radius and a head region at a fourth radius wherein a second circumferential sliding region is provided between the head regions of the radially outermost row of grooves of the slide ring and an external radial edge of the slide ring, wherein the first radius is smaller than the third radius, and wherein the second radius is smaller than the fourth radius.