Tyres are crucial to performance in Formula 1 as they serve as an important reference point for drivers. Manufactured by the Italian company Pirelli, the tyres are the only part of the car that touches the race track, and drivers have to manage the condition of the tyres very closely during a Grand Prix.
With five different tyre compounds available for teams to choose from during a race weekend, each compound offers different advantages and disadvantages. For example, soft tyres offer more grip to set faster lap times but are less durable. Harder tyres provide less grip, to begin with, but typically can go a much further distance than the softer compounds.
The optimum working temperature for tyres is believed to be around 100-120 degrees Celsius. Getting your tyres up to this optimum temperature for performance is important but very difficult. The tyres on an F1 car are extremely sensitive, with both overheating and underheating having a massive effect on a tyre’s race performance in different ways and for different reasons.
How does hot weather affect Formula 1 tyres?
In F1, typically the warmer the tyre, the grippier it becomes. This is why we see the cars weaving on formation laps and behind safety cars – they are trying to maintain heat in their tyres so that off the race start or when the safety car pits, they have maximum grip and can reach their top speeds quicker.
Too much heat in drivers can cause a rapid fall-off in performance. If the tyres overheat, degradation is much higher and they can suffer from something called blistering.
Excess heat causes the rubber to soften and break away in chunks from the body of the tyre – almost like a melting effect. As a result, traction becomes severely compromised and it could even lead to the tyres blowing out entirely. Blistering dramatically increases the risk of drivers losing control and crashing the car.
Excessive heat in tyres can also lead to car graining – this is where heat on the surface of the tyre causes strips of rubber to begin tearing away. When it begins to tear, it pulls away from the tyre and fuses back into the surface, creating a ripple effect. Graining causes a reduction in grip and has a significant impact on the car when mid-corner or under braking or acceleration. Drivers are more likely to experience understeer and oversteer and usually will have to pit for a fresh pair of Pirelli rubber.
How does cold weather affect Formula 1 tyres?
Perhaps surprisingly, cold temperatures also have an adverse effect on F1 tyres. After pre-season testing back in 2018, Chief Technical Officer at the time Paddy Lowe said, “If the tyre temperature falls below 90 degrees, it’s the same as driving on ice.” With a drop in temperature, the hardness and grip of a tyre follow the same pattern. Therefore, if the tyre is working below its optimum range, it loses grip and can cause the car to slide around.
If you needed an indication of the chilly conditions… 🥶
Kubica gets crossed up at the chicane#F1 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/qwx2UNDAR8
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 26, 2020
Generally, colder tyres are negative because they cause a severe lack of grip. Having grip is crucial for all teams as it allows drivers to reach top speeds in order to be competitive in such a high-paced sport. The grip allows cars to manoeuvre through high-speed corners effectively whilst remaining grounded on the track.
Ahead of the inaugural Las Vegas GP last year, which saw temperatures of around 4 or 5 degrees Celsius, Alex Albon believed that drivers might need to do three or four prep laps for qualifying just to get up to the correct temperatures before completing a push lap.
Just like hotter temperatures, tyres can also experience graining if they are too cold. The rubber on the tyre fails to grip the track and slides as if on ice, which causes tears and scratches on the surface. Cold graining also results in loss of grip and can wear away the tyres very quickly, forcing drivers to pit before their optimum strategic window.
