Formula One is not just a race. It is an emotion, an art displayed by the drivers. F1 can be described as a canvas carefully painted with multiple colours which in end gives a beautiful image to be kept in the mind just like how the spectators take back good memories with them.
Just like any part found on the F1 race cars, tyres too are carefully engineered to give the best performance output. Tyres of Formula 1 has undergone drastic transformation since the 1950s. There were various tyre manufacturers who played an important role in developing the Formula one tyres that we see today such as Bridgestone, Avon, Continental, Goodyear etc.
The Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli which is known worldwide have been the official suppliers of Formula 1 tyres for about a decade now. The 2020 season has five tyre types - Hard, Medium, Soft, Intermediate and Wet which have their sidewalls coloured in White, Yellow, Red, Green and Blue respectively. These tyres have special elements used while construction and are commonly known as compounds.
Also See:Formula 1 Plans To Change The Tyre Compound Choices
Formula one tyres are not like road tyres, F1 tyres are filled with nitrogen instead of air. The air which we use to fill our car tyres is a mixture of 78 percent nitrogen but significantly it has 21 percent oxygen. The usage of nitrogen gas to fill tyres in Formula one has two specific reasons.
The primary reason why nitrogen is filled in Formula one tyres is because of its higher consistency. The moisture content present in air is variable as it depends on the local weather conditions. Since Formula one races take place in different locations across the globe, there is significant change in the moisture content.
The behaviour of nitrogen gas filled in tyres is quite predictable and is consistent which makes it helpful and easy in choosing strategies and also the F1 teams could keep optimum level of air pressure in the tyres throughout the season.
Since air has the presence of oxygen, it becomes highly reactive in nature and reduces the pressure in the tyres and on the other hand, using nitrogen filling negates the issue of losing tyre pressure since it remains consistent.
The second reason why tyres are filled with nitrogen is because tyres would not have air or water vapour in it and the risk of the rims rusting is avoided. Nitrogen filling will also increase the performance since it makes the tyres lighter, allowing to reach better speeds.
