Tires

The tires for F1 are designed to withstand strengths over the normal tires will. Its fabrication is based in the use of nylon, polyester fiber and soft rubber. Once in race the tire could handle with more than tone coming from the aerodynamic charge, 4g lateral forces and 5g length forces.

The number of tires per car is 4, and doesn’t exist the possibility of three or 2. In 1970’s the Tyrrell P34 had front tires with an extraordinary diameter of 10 inches.

Part of the rubber that the tires have, are left, usually in the entrances and endings of the curves in the track, leaving dark spots.

The tire works better in a rank of determinate temperatures, for example: wet common tires are thought to work in its best between the 90 and 110°C. Just between this rank the tires gets to it maximum adherence coefficient. Each manufacturer gives recommendable temperatures for each kind of tire.

The pressure of a tire must be keep as stable as possible to have an optimum pressure distribution in the track contact area.

To avoid the temperature changes produced by the gases pressure that the tire has, instead of using air, other gases are used, especially nitrogen. The atmospheric air contains oxygen and water steam that, oxidize the inner rubber coating that ensures the tightness of the tire.

The gas leaking will cause the tire pressure diminution, damaging the pressure distribution in the track contact area, also facilitate the tire to warm faster due to increased friction. The use of nitrogen extends the life of the tire, besides not being flammable.

The competition tire development got it better in the 1960’s with the use of flat tires. But in 1998 the new FIA rules forced the teams to use back tires with a minimum of 2 drawing channels, and front tires with 3 with also other specifications. These changes created new challenges for the manufacturers that know have to work with fewer adherences.

Since 2001 Michelin returned to the F1 to compete with Bridgestone. Goodyear and Dunlop had also participated in this competition. With the FIA decision to impose a single tire manufacturer since 2008, Michelin announced they retirement from the F1 after the 2006 championship. So Bridgestone is the only tire provider since 2007 till now.