[Tech Issue] Tyres for 2010

[Sodemo]

Just wondering what (if any) are the plans for tyres in 2010?

Obviously at the moment for most of the tracks we are using two compounds with usually a gap between them, so we have the soft and hard, or the super soft and medium etc.

What I would like to see for 2010 would be three compounds, hard medium and soft. The "Hard" should just be about hard enough to last a race distance, but be overall slower, then the "medium" would last less and the "soft" less and so on.

The softer tyres would have to be a second a lap (or more) faster though in order to make them a worthy strategy for those wanting to stop.

I would also open the possibilities for people to change compounds as they please during a race, say running hards on the rear and mediums on the front.

What do people think?

[Bleu]

I'm guessing that tyre rules will stay like they are this year. The current rule was proposed by Bridgestone itself after similar rule used in Champcars.

Main reason Bridgestone stated was that now most of the tyres will be used, while under the rule which was during the tyre war with Michelin (where driver had to choose "soft" or "hard") half of the tyres was not used.

From the cynical point we can say that the rule is just because Bridgestone can keep themselves as a talking point.

[tristancliffe]

I would prefer them to sort out the tyre sizes and put wider rears on than narrower fronts, than bother with artificially spicing up the action with enforced pitstops and having to use both compounds.

Give a range of compounds, and let the teams choose what to do with them.

[veeten]

or better yet, open the series up to other tire/tyre manufacturers.

The main reason to why we have the present situation was that Michelin got tired of the constant whining by Bridgestone and Ferrari whenever Mishie was providing a better 'doughnut'. Open the competition to other companies to provide an alternative, especially to the smaller teams that could provide a good deal for the likes of Dunlop, Yokahama, Khumo and others.

It has worked for LMS/ALMS/ACO, why not F1?...

[ECW Dan Selby]

Ergh, I could not stand the tyre wars. If there were say, 3/4, it wouldn't be so bad. But the huge divide that the Bridgestone/Michi wars caused was highly irritating to watch. All you'd hear the teams/drivers talk about was how they were palmed off with the 'wrong tyre' this particular session.

Selby


Also, I heard they were narrowing the front tyres to reduce mechanical grip for 2010.

[duke_toaster]

I'd rather they went for wider rears than narrower fronts, but I guess the little fronts could work better.

I think the two types of tyre available is a good idea, maybe not go for the two type of tyre rule. Only require one pit-stop, but two or three could be a valid strategy.

[ECW Dan Selby]

I think in light of next year's rules, it'd be cool to see the "compulsory" bit taken away from the tyre changing rules.

Selby

[fourWheelDrift]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

I think in light of next year's rules, it'd be cool to see the "compulsory" bit taken away from the tyre changing rules.

Selby

I know that depending on the rubber it may not be practical to run non-stop but I strongly feel the rules should allow it. We should permit the widest possible range of strategies and let the teams choose.

[JamesH]

I think the front wheels should be tiny, and there should be 4 of them.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by JamesH

I think the front wheels should be tiny, and there should be 4 of them.

....and all the cars painted blue,and ........no stop!

In 2005 we had tyres that could do race distances,so no great technical feat for Bridgestone to overcome there,and even though they didn't make the best tyre that year,it did manage to compete in all of the races.So I would deffo like to see the compulsary thing bite the dust,and let the drivers use whatever tyre that's available on whatever corner of the car using whatever strategy they like.

[bjohnsonsmith]

The reason Bridgestone are making the front tyres smaller is to cut costs. The tyres will then be the same size, front and rear as on Indy Cars that Bridgestone supplies under the brand name of Firestone Firehawk. Bridgestone will be able to produce tyres for both open wheel formulas from only two molds; the front and rear tyres as opposed to having a third mold just for F1 front tyres.

[JeremySmith]

I would like to see three tyre manufactures in F1...Bridgstone, Pirelli and Michelin..

The teams can use whatever they want whenever they want, may the best team win...

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by veeten

The main reason to why we have the present situation was that Michelin got tired of the constant whining by Bridgestone and Ferrari whenever Mishie was providing a better 'doughnut'. Open the competition to other companies to provide an alternative, especially to the smaller teams that could provide a good deal for the likes of Dunlop, Yokahama, Khumo and others.

There is a BIG difference between a sportscar tyre and an F1. Unless Dunlop, Yoko have hundreds of millions to spend they won't be entering or they would be many seconds off the pace, have no customers and have to leave anyway!!!

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

The reason Bridgestone are making the front tyres smaller is to cut costs. The tyres will then be the same size, front and rear as on Indy Cars that Bridgestone supplies under the brand name of Firestone Firehawk. Bridgestone will be able to produce tyres for both open wheel formulas from only two molds; the front and rear tyres as opposed to having a third mold just for F1 front tyres.

Don't Indycar tyres fit onto larger wheels, or am I remembering wrong?

[V8 Fireworks]

Next years front will be 245mm wide - 97 spec.

They should bring two compounds for whole year:
B Hard (whole race distance)
A Super-Soft (1-3 seconds per lap faster)

No compulsory stops.

Qualify on the opposite tyre to the start of the race. (Otherwise those on super-softs will pole, disappear into the distance and pit from a massive lead - boring.)

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Qualify on the opposite tyre to the start of the race. (Otherwise those on super-softs will pole, disappear into the distance and pit from a massive lead - boring.)

So wouldn't they all be qualifying on super-softs if that were the case?

Wouldn't it be better to have tyres that were not so far apart with regard to compounds.One tyre may make it to the end of the race,but if abused will require a stop.The other will complete a race distance no problem.

As things are we still have the cars doing a compulsary stop for tyres.Of course this could happen after one lap,on the penultimate lap or a number of times anywhere in between,and will not be so predictable as when they had to stop for fuel.

[ECW Dan Selby]

That's a fair point, Marbot.

Do you think we'll see anyone trying a cheeky stop on the first lap..?

Selby

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

Do you think we'll see anyone trying a cheeky stop on the first lap..?

Probably not,unless there's a safety car and they're pretty damn sure that they can make it to the end of the race on the changed tyre.

It's going to create a few headaches for the strategists,because they will want to know at what point in the race they have to change tyres in order to finish the race in the least amount of time.This will require driver feedback and a close eye on the lap times of others on similar tyres and of those on the opposite tyre.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Why are they keeping tyre changing at not refuelling? Is it to get the drivers to actually overtake each other on the track, rather than with a pit stop?

[Sodemo]

I think its under the "cost saving" banner, though it could also fall under the "safety" banner too.

I hope we do see a bigger difference in tyres as previous posters have suggested. One tyre that just about lasts a race (with increased wear at the end) and another which is 1-2 seconds a lap faster.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Sounds like a good idea and keeps the strategy element alive. However, I got into F1 in the mid '70s and remember no stops at all. It was pure attrition.

[crmalcolm]

Regarding the tyre rule, do teams have to keep the same compund on all four wheels at the same time?

I'm not sure if there'd be any benefit from a mix-and-match configuration but it might be possible?

[duke_toaster]

No, got to be the same designation on all four.

[RaiseYourFist]

I hope they go back to white bands to designate the options because the green is so ugly and hard to see

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by RaiseYourFist

I hope they go back to white bands to designate the options because the green is so ugly and hard to see

Bridgestone seem to be stuck on the 'green' theme with this I'm afraid.Probably something that they shouldn't have done in the first place and will no doubt cop for some flack from 'tree huggers' if they go back on it.