A method for determining a maximum coefficient of friction μmax between a tire and an underlying surface entails empirically determining a reference curve μref(S) of a coefficient of friction μref as a function of a slip S between the tire and an underlying reference surface, determining a first momentary slip S1 for the tire and a first momentary coefficient of friction μ1 between the tire and the underlying surface at a first instant t1, determining a second momentary slip S2 for the tire and a second momentary coefficient of friction μ2 between the tire and the underlying surface at a second instant t2, computing a slope of the curve μ(S) of the coefficient of friction μ as a function of slip S, and computing the maximum coefficient of friction μmax between the tire and the underlying surface by transforming the reference curve μref(S) on the basis of the slope of the curve μ(S).