Tyres - A season on [MERGED]

[ralf fan]

So it has been a season since the switch from the so called 'tire-war' to the control tires. I must say i haven't noticed the change as much as i thought i would. Mainly because it has allowed Ferrari and Mclaren to be virtually neck and neck (cue one liners about spygate ). A stronger tire one way or another could have tilted the balance and probably resulted in race after race of one car winning. Now the focus is more on the type of circuit. Also it seems to have really closed up the midfield which is nice too.
One thing that i feel it has failed in is with the overtaking. These new tires were suppose to be less grippier and make overtaking easier, however how much of this is down to the cars and the tires. I suspect it is more to do with the cars.
Another new innovation we've had is the whole Champcar style 'option tyre'. It has hardly added the 'extra spice' to the races that BS promised it. Apart from maybe helping Kimi out on a couple of starts. Teams have mastered their strategies and it has hardly added anything to the GP weekends IMO. We could probably do away with it, also would stop James Allen mentioning every 5 seconds that the softer tire is the one with the stripes.

So a season on, my attitude is 'Meh'. I enjoyed the tire wars (mainly because in latter years it stopped the ferrari juggernaut ) and i thought i would miss it however judging by results this season there hasn't been much of a change at all.

[Knowlesy]

Tyre wars rule. We need three or four tyre manufacturers in.

Control tyre racing is tedious. No variables, no fun.

[Sodemo]

The option tyre might have provided more "action" if it was a large degree different to the "prime" tyre. So you would have one tyre that was very soft and another that was quite hard. Then you might have seen more action.

I don't think we need a tyre war to generate good racing, tyres are simply made a scapegoat, the real problem is (and always has been) aero.

Blaming and changing tyres is like cutting off the head to cure the headache.

[Knowlesy]

Aero is definitely the major problem. So let's have a tyre war back please.

[jnr blue 91]

although if they had the hard tyre as really hard then it should make overtaking better...although races would be slower

[Knowlesy]

We had rock hard tyres in 1999 and 2000. The racing was not exactly epic.

In terms of out and out excitement, 1999 was right down in the doldrums.

Oh yeah, those years were single tyre manufacturer too. There is a link here.

[chillibowl]

big fan of the single tire manu this year and i suspect the option or softer tire will provide more of a difference as the years go on. personally i would like to see it go in more of an extreme direction with the 2 options being so different as they would require an additional stop to make them last.

but all in all this has been one of the best seasons in recent memory and i cant see how having 2 or more tire manus could have made it better. in fact i would be happy if these regs were made to last another year.

[Kirk]

I like it as it is... except of course for the grooves. There are enough variables elsewhere, and I don't like the idea of a tyre manufacturer dominating, thus tipping the playing field.

[Ralf's Girl]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

but all in all this has been one of the best seasons in recent memory and i cant see how having 2 or more tire manus could have made it better.

It probably wouldn't have made it any worse, though. I agree with Knowlesy that taking away the tyre war is just removing another variable that can affect the outcome of a race. One of the good things about having different tyre suppliers was how a driver and team could adapt and how that tyre performed in different conditions - we don't have that anymore.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

For me the most noticable fact about the tyres is the lack of difference between the compounds.
Through the season at circuits it was either type 1 & 2 or 2 & 3 or 3 & 4 (interms of hardness) that Bridgestone supplied.

For next season perhaps Bridgestone could either make more of a difference between 1,2,3and 4 or perhaps take along 1 & 3 or 2 & 4 or even 1 & 4 to some circuits.

[Kirk]

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

It probably wouldn't have made it any worse, though. I agree with Knowlesy that taking away the tyre war is just removing another variable that can affect the outcome of a race. One of the good things about having different tyre suppliers was how a driver and team could adapt and how that tyre performed in different conditions - we don't have that anymore.

But it is not just "another" variable. Most variables in F1 will account for thousanths, maybe hundreths of a second difference in lap times. The variable that different tyre manufacturers add, often amount to several tenths of a second per lap ... and that's huge. IMO, too large.

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by Kirk

The variable that different tyre manufacturers add, often amount to several tenths of a second per lap ... and that's huge. IMO, too large.

Agreed. I like it, as the picture is much clearer. The tire war adds nothing to the spectacle in my opinion. But it can take away from the spectacle.

[FPV GTHO]

I think theyre still idiots for using the 2003-2005 type construction instead of last years tyres which had no serious problems running soft compounds.

[Kai]

Controlled tires are fine, just bring back slicks!!!

[Yannick]

I'd say the tyre rules worked out really well this year.

[MRJUCY]

I'd prefer to see competition isn't that what sport is all about?

[duke_toaster]

No need for a change other than scrapping the two compounds in the race, but the typhoon tyre that Martin Brundle mentioned should be brought back in. Whilst we are at it, don't overdramatise - what Bridgestone currently call wets are inters and their extreme weather tyres are just wets.

And if we need a two compound system, make them more different, don't take the super softs and softs, take the SS and the mediums.

[Sodemo]

Yes, take the supersofts to Barcelona!

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by Kai

Controlled tires are fine, just bring back slicks!!!

I don't see why. With the control tyre, slicks may not add that much to the racing.

Originally Posted by Kirk

I like it as it is... except of course for the grooves. There are enough variables elsewhere, and I don't like the idea of a tyre manufacturer dominating, thus tipping the playing field.

You don't like a tyre manufacture to dominate. But what about the chassis and/or engine?

[f1manoz]

I was 'Meh' about the tyre war and I'm 'Meh' about the non-tyre war. Don't think it really brought much to the racing. Bring back slicks I say!

[BootsOntheSide]

Agreed that they should bring much more distinct types of tyre, but otherwise it hasn't made a big difference. It's more important to go back to slicks.

[Sodemo]

This really surprised me, you have the Senna S, Curva do Sol, Ferra durra and Mergulho, all of which are really fast corners, not to mention the rest of the track.

I wonder if we might see a few tyres "issues" at the weekend, especially if its hot?

Could this be the one "problem" event of the year?

Given the bumpy nature of the track, the teams are inclined to go softer on setup, will that affect the tyre wear also?

Bridgestone have been really very good this year, but could this be the one time they perhaps "drop the ball? Its worth considering I think.

Its also worth noting that Ferrari have struggled with the softer tyres this year.

[Gt_R]

Having different compounds doesn't really make a huge difference, except that reduce the chance a team losing out because of making a wrong choice from the start of the weekend.

That said, there isn't much variations to the way tyres are chosen this season. Still, i'd very much like to see slicks making a return

[FPV GTHO]

Well other than Monaco, theyve also had these tyres for Montreal and Hungary, and i personally expected them to bring them to Melbourne as well but they had the Medium tyre there.

[shiny side up!]

Originally Posted by Kirk

But it is not just "another" variable. Most variables in F1 will account for thousanths, maybe hundreths of a second difference in lap times. The variable that different tyre manufacturers add, often amount to several tenths of a second per lap ... and that's huge. IMO, too large.

Let's not forget that we have Spikers running around 2,3, or even 4 seconds per lap slower, and they are on the same tires as everyone else. There are evidently plenty variables out there that have a larger effect than the several tenths you have attributed to tires.

I have always liked the tire wars - to me, it isn't any different to competing chassis, engines, and drivers. Bring on the innovation!