The Case For Grooved Tyres
Discussion
Australia and Canada were entertaining to watch, particularly as its low grip track.
Surely there's a case for grooved to stay in F1, when surely a race car should have more BHP than grip.
Taking off downforce and then getting a similar level of grip back again from the tyres isn't a good recipe?
Anyone else gone off the idea of slicks?
Surely there's a case for grooved to stay in F1, when surely a race car should have more BHP than grip.
Taking off downforce and then getting a similar level of grip back again from the tyres isn't a good recipe?
Anyone else gone off the idea of slicks?
johnfelstead said:
you need more mechanical grip than aero grip, you then need more power than mechanical/aero grip combined.
What we now have is less mechanical grip than aero grip, and less power than aero/mechanical grip combined.
Slicks will be perfect if the balance of all three is correct.
Exactly, you want the 1994 F1 season as an exampleWhat we now have is less mechanical grip than aero grip, and less power than aero/mechanical grip combined.
Slicks will be perfect if the balance of all three is correct.
But surely the unique performance offered by grooves makes F1 unique, drivers should take the next level - not just commitment on how much speed you take into high speed corners - which is what the kids are learning with the single seater ladder - but handling that knife-edge performance of the tyres.
te... Slicks look way cooler so on that basis alone they should go back to slick... 
In order to get close to the car in front (to give you a chance to overtake), you need a high proportion of mechanical grip so you're less reliant on the downforce, which is being disrupted and reduced by following in the wake of the car in front.
Currently, as has been said, virtually all the grip in an F1 car comes from aero so when that's disrupted the car goes slower, meaning its nigh on impossible to overtake because you can't get close enough to the car in front through the corners to draft past on the straight and/or outbrake them. The very short braking distances don't help either, but they don't seem to have the desire to address that by limiting brake technology etc. Slicks and less downforce will be a good start though.
Currently, as has been said, virtually all the grip in an F1 car comes from aero so when that's disrupted the car goes slower, meaning its nigh on impossible to overtake because you can't get close enough to the car in front through the corners to draft past on the straight and/or outbrake them. The very short braking distances don't help either, but they don't seem to have the desire to address that by limiting brake technology etc. Slicks and less downforce will be a good start though.
It's still a control tyre in 2009 so the slick/groove debate is 99% aesthetic for the fans.
One good thing about the grooves is that from the spectator perspective you can see when the tyres are f---ed!
Although recently we've had pretty hard 'control' tyres the last coupe of years so the last time we saw seriously worn out grooved tyres was probably Monaco a couple of years ago.
Can anyone add if the 2-compound rule will be carried over into 2009? If so, how will we know which compound they are on?
One good thing about the grooves is that from the spectator perspective you can see when the tyres are f---ed!
Although recently we've had pretty hard 'control' tyres the last coupe of years so the last time we saw seriously worn out grooved tyres was probably Monaco a couple of years ago.
Can anyone add if the 2-compound rule will be carried over into 2009? If so, how will we know which compound they are on?
zac510 said:
It's still a control tyre in 2009 so the slick/groove debate is 99% aesthetic for the fans.
Well the proposed slick "control" tyre for 2009 was about 2 sec/lap faster than the current grooved tyres when tested recently in Barcelona. Yes, Bridgestone could choose to de-tune it, but I don't think they will. The loss of downforce will make laptimes roughly equal to this year. Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 10th June 13:53
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