F1 Tyre profiles ?
Discussion
F1 regs limit the wheel size to 13". The high profile is a way of enlarging (by lengthening) the contact patch whilst retaining the regulation wheel size. Road cars, by contrast, aren't limited by a fixed wheel size regulation and go for the larger wheel solution. Larger wheels are employed in other forms of racing where wheel size isn't limited, and because of sidewall flex, it's better to achieve the larger contact patch by maximising wheel size instead, whilst keeping the tyre profile small.
F1 teams are limited to quite a small rim size 13" IIRC. I think this is to force them to use small brakes to keep the braking distances realativly large. Also I'd imagine the much larger side wall helps provide some "give" in the rock hard suspension.
I'm probably talking b
ks and someone who knows what they are talking about will be along shortly
I'm probably talking b
ks and someone who knows what they are talking about will be along shortlyHarry H said:
Just seems a bit of a strange rule then to only have 13" rims.
If it's to keep the brake size down and therefore lengthen stopping distances it doesn't work very well as they seem to be able to lock up wheels relatively easily.
Why not have bigger wheels and make them use drum brakes
As stated before, it probably goes back to the start of F1 and limits the size of brake disc and caliper and therefore stopping ability. F1, whether you like it or not is all about development. Lots of F1 stuff over the years has filtered down to your Eurobox. There is absolutely no way that F1 would take a backward step in terms of technology and fit drum brakes.If it's to keep the brake size down and therefore lengthen stopping distances it doesn't work very well as they seem to be able to lock up wheels relatively easily.
Why not have bigger wheels and make them use drum brakes
Harry H said:
Just seems a bit of a strange rule then to only have 13" rims.
See my earlier reply. When the rule was introduced 13" was the standard wheel size for many cars: road and race; still is for small light weight cars like Caterhams. As the years went on and the tyre manufactuers dropped out no tyre manufacturer wanted to ditch all of their development technology so that a new guy would be competitive. The last decade or so though the rule could go with only one tyre manufacturer.
JR said:
Tyre Smoke said:
There is absolutely no way that F1 would take a backward step in terms of technology and fit drum brakes.
Although they did do away with full ground effect technology, active suspension, slick tyres...
It wouldn't be about the technology, it would just be the sheer impossibility of keeping drum brakes cool for that sort of use - it would be incredibly hard to do. I'd heard about the 13" restriction too, I knew it had been around for a very long time, but does anyone know how long?
Tyre Smoke said:
JR said:
Although they did do away with full ground effect technology, active suspension, slick tyres...
Slicks are back and along with ground effect and active suspension were introduced to slow the cars down. They have decided to slow the cars with aero restrictions. JR said:
It's not. History, politics and regulations.
yump - although it's been mentioned that there's a safety aspect as well with modern carbon brakes - much bigger callipers (in conjunction with grippier wheels) and drivers would be blacking out or losing retinas under the braking forces (I think - haven't seen reliable figures in a while, but they were close to 5G last time I checked, which is getting on for the limit for what humans can sustainably stand - higher braking forces have been survived, but not 5 times a minute). I can't be the only one who suspects that, had turbo's not been banned in F1 in the 80s/90s, you wouldn't be able to buy a n/a car now.Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff