Formula 1 (F1) car tyres and normal passenger car tyres are considered as distant cousins because they only have the same structure when looked upon from the outside.
Now you may ask why normal tyres are not used in F1 cars? Well the answer is simple. Formula One cars are driven in the toughest of the toughest conditions. The temperatures reach levels which the normal passenger car tyres cannot withstand. Thus, the high speed F1 machines require special tyres.
Unlike Normal car tyres, F1 tyres are designed to last probably about 200 kilometres and is made with strong materials to resist damage from the most toughest conditions.
The Formula one car's deceleration reach up to 6G forces and the cornering capacity of the vehicle is up to 5G. This means that it functions with double the times of down-force than a normal car.
If tyre pressure is to be considered, F1 cars are filled with a special air that is nitrogen rich. It is designed to reduce variations in the tyre- pressure while the temperature changes. The mixture of different compounds in F1 tyres are said to retain pressure longer than normal air.
Pirelli is currently the official tyre partner for F1. All the F1 cars use Pirelli Tyres. The Italian company took over from Bridgestone as F1's sole supplier in 2011. They decided to paint their logo in colors that are different so that spectators will understamd what is the strategy opted by the team.
Also see:What Are Racing Slicks?
There are different aerodynamic rules in F1 which are decided with critical analyses and tests. A change was made in 2017, which is considered to be the biggest overhaul in almost 20 years. It was decided that 2 meter wide cars seen in 1997 will be brought back with a major change in the Pirelli tyre's width that is from 245mm to 305mm for the front tyres and 325mm to 405mm conversion for the rear tyres.
The changes were made and the performance of the Pirelli tyres increased, providing F1 drivers with increased traction, grip and cornering capabilities. All thanks to the wider contact patch.
Tyres play a huge role as a strategy which is opted by a particular team. A fun fact about F1 tyres is that there are 5 different compounds which range from 'C1' to 'C5.' The 'C1' is the most hardest whereas the 'C5' is the most softest. These ranges are explained below:
C1: C1 stands for Compound 1 and it is the hardest tyre created in the Pirelli range, This compound sits just below the 2019 hard tyre compound. It has been designed for circuits that put the highest energy load on the tyres.
C2: C2 is Compound 2, It is a versatile compound, but it is harder and is used in certain circuits that tend towards high speeds, energy loadings and temperatures. This tyre demonstrates good working range and is adaptable to a wide variety of circuits.
C3: This tyre stands equal to the soft that was considered in all but four of the races last year. It strikes a good balance between performance and durability. It is an adaptable tyre that can be used as a soft compound in severe conditions and also consider it as a hard compound at a lesser severity prone street circuit.
C4: The C4 is the one closest to the 2019 ultrasoft tyre and it functions well on twisty and tight circuits. It has the capability to rapidly warm-up and produce a huge peak in performance. The only limitation is that the tyre life compared to other compounds is less.
C5: The softest 2020 compound is a better version of its brother popularly known as the hypersoft. This compound is the fastest one that Pirelli has ever produced. This tyre is suitable for all the circuits which demands high level of grip. The only thing to consider is its lifespan which is lesser than other tyres in the range. Getting the most out of this tyre will require precise strategies from each team. The tyre gives the best performance and speed that the driver requires on the track.
There are also two wet tyres which are used when there is rain to get maximum traction. They are the following:
INTERMEDIATE GREEN : The Intermediate Green tyres are the most functional tyres in rain. They can be used on a wet track as the surface of the tyre dry fast. Nearly 30 liters of water is evacuated per second per tyre at 300 km/h.
WET BLUE: These full wet tyres are the solution for heavy rain. The tyres evacuate 85 litres of water per second per tyre at 300km/h. It has a new profile which is designed to build the resistance towards aquaplaning. It is 10mm wider than the slick tyres.
Image credits: f1dictionery
