19/04/2005
NEWS STORY
There is much more to Formula One rubber than a simple blend of compound and construction. Manufacturers fine-tune countless parameters during the design process – and must also understand how to gauge the correct pressure level when a tyre hits the track.
F1 chassis run with significantly lower tyre pressures than everyday road cars. Typically, they are inflated to 1.0-1.5 bar – and with good reason. Lower pressures generate higher levels of grip, because they allow tyres to change shape more readily and adapt themselves to a circuit's contours.
The correct pressure varies from track to track and striking the right balance involves a degree of delicate compromise. For instance, pressures might be raised or lowered to accommodate particular circuit characteristics, such as high-speed sweeps or, at the other end of the scale, slow corners.
Teams often experiment with tyre pressures and might run different levels front to rear in order to adjust the balance of their chassis. Drivers are very sensitive to such subtle variations.
With mid-race tyre changes having been outlawed, engineers have devised ways to adjust pressures very quickly during refuelling stops – a factor that can significantly influence the way a car handles.
Michelin determines the most appropriate tyre pressures according to the nature of each circuit. The company's seven partner teams endeavour to remain within the accepted tolerances while minimising tyre wear and optimising chassis balance.
It's a complex equation – but then F1 has never been an easy sport.