F1 Tyre question

[marksbike]

So there I was reading Autocar magazine about the new Ferrari Enzo F150 and it was saying as usual how much F1 tech is in this new road car.

So it got me thinking after the great F1 race today, why then are road car Wheels/tyres huge sizes with skinny sidewalls yet F1 wheels/tyres are the opposite, smaller wheels with big sidewalls?

I understand that some of the sidewall in F1 acts as part of the suspension but surely if the tyre's are that good in F1 why is the latest Ferrari road car not wearing wheels/tyre's which are more like F1?


Mark.

[Darkslider]

Fashion?

[Fonz]

Regulations

[Nick1point9]

Brake clearance too.

[EarlOfHazard]

I expect the size of the brake discs on road cars play a part, as they can't be made of the carbon like f1 brakes are they have to be bigger to compensate.

[MagicalTrevor]

Fashion mainly but also brake discs to stop heavy cars loaded with safety features.
But also F1 tyres are the main suspension on the car. Low profile tyres would mean additional weight through more suspension, not to mention the physical space.

[intrepid44]

Regulations.

The tyre does act as part of the suspension, however, the tyre will essentially act as an undamped spring, and thus reduce control. I think it would be better for the car to have a lower profile, but regulations simply don't allow it.

At least that's how I think it works.

[GroundEffect]

The regs. Its an odd rule set and I need to look more in to the history of it.

[MissChief]

There has been some talk of increasing wheel size and reducing tyre size in F1 but the teams were all crying, talking about changing suspension sit-ups and how it would cost millions to redesign it all so it got put back.

[MagicalTrevor]

Gaz. said:

MagicalTrevor said:

Fashion mainly but also brake discs to stop heavy cars loaded with safety features.
But also F1 tyres are the main suspension on the car. Low profile tyres would mean additional weight through more suspension, not to mention the physical space.

F1 is restricted to 13 inch wheels. LMP1 have enormous wheels by comparison.

I'm no expert on the subject but I'd expect the suspension on a F1 car (with large wheels/low profile tyres) would be awkward to package in the body. An LMP1 car has a little more room.

[intrepid44]

MagicalTrevor said:

I'm no expert on the subject but I'd expect the suspension on a F1 car (with large wheels/low profile tyres) would be awkward to package in the body. An LMP1 car has a little more room.

Eh....

[markcoznottz]

I wish they would go back to the 18 inch wide rear tyres.

[TonyHetherington]

The tyres act as part of the suspension because the rules say the tyres should be so big (have such a high profile), rather than the other way round.

[skinny]

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[TonyHetherington]

Ha, you know that's probably a serious consideration whenever discussions are had about reducing the profile

[marksbike]

Cheers for the replys guys, it just had me wondering.
Its shame the rules don't allow more flexability as so much development goes into F1 tyres that can not be used in road cars. I do understand that masses of money is spent on Road tyre development.

[PhillipM]

Even if you matched the sizes that accounts for very little of what could actually be used from one to the other.