Formula 1 Tyres | All You Need To Know About F1 Car Tyres

The tires which facilitate fast-paced Formula one races on the track are not made like the tires of regular passenger vehicles, i.e., these follow a comparatively more complex manufacturing process. They are designed and built in such a way that they can easily withstand the intense friction experienced during the lightning-fast races. Let's take a closer look at all the facts about F1 race car tyres.

FEATURES OF FORMULA ONE RACE CAR TYRES:

As mentioned before, a lot of planning and engineering skills are involved in the manufacturing of these highly-intricate tyres, since these are very, if not the most important component of the race car. The highly-renowned company Pirelli supplies the tyres to all the cars competing in the world championship. As of these days, Pirelli offers three different sets of tyres (soft, medium and hard). Other tyres from Italy-based manufacturers are also available. These tyres are designed for usage on rainy days. Moreover, they also supply intermediate tyres as well as wet tyres.

THE SELECTION PROCESS OF F1 RACE CAR TYRES:

The final race takes place on Sunday. Before the race, two different pairs of medium-sized as well as hard tyres are sent to the teams for the much-anticipated final race. For qualifying races, a single set of soft race tyres are supplied to ensure that drivers set up their fastest lap timing. This is very important primarily because the first gird of the main race is totally dependent on lap timings recorded during qualifying races. F1 drivers can only use at most three different sets of dry tyres during their free practice sessions.

One key factor to note here is that drivers who make it to the dry-tyre race must begin the race while using the same tyres which they used in the second qualifying session. This rule is only applicable to the drivers who are in the top ten. The others can begin their race using any set of tyres, i.e., hard, soft or medium, whichever one is available.

RULES WHEN THE WEATHER IS WET

As per the official rules, all of the racers are required to use two different variants of dry tyres during the final race. However, this rule doesn´t apply if the driver chooses to go with intermediate or fully wet tyres. For the qualifying races, fully-wet tyres or intermediate tyres can be used if and when the official race director mandates. Moreover, if the final race is beginning behind a safety car due to rainfall, then the drivers must begin their race by using wet tyres. If and when the rain stops, the driver can switch to dry tyres during their first pit stop.