Tyre warmer ban in 09 good or bad idea

David Coulthard has appealed to Formula 1's rulemakers to reconsider its ban on tyre-warming blankets from 2009 onwards.

Thoughts anyone it appears DC thinks its a safety issue..

 

I really respect Coulthard and appreciate his perspective but, it hasn't seemed to affect the CART guys over the years or F1 before they were around. To me it's another driver aid. If a guy is good on cold tires, JPM for example, then that's a benefit for them. I'm sure we'll see some drivers do some stupid things and some loose a lot of time (Massa maybe ) on the cold tires but, that's racing. It certainly would change things up quite a bit.

 

I think it won't be a big security issue. After all, we're speaking about the best drivers of the world here, they should be able to cope with cold tyres. Maybe the timing is not the best as the ban of TC already has a huge impact on traction. Whereas one could argue that a bite more or less traction doesn't matter anyway, then...

 

I don't like tyre warmer ban.

It all boils down to endangering drivers for no good reason.
Will leaving tyres in the sun be a violation ?

If they want entertainment - demand "green" energy like solar power for the tire blankets. That will give worldwide exposure to some new brands.

 

DC: F1 should not ditch tyre-warmers
Tuesday, 11, December, 2007, 19:37


ITV-F1.com columnist David Coulthard has appealed to Formula 1's rulemakers to reconsider its ban on tyre-warming blankets from 2009 onwards.

Tyre-warmers are currently set to be outlawed along with grooved dry tyres to make way for a return to proper slicks and a lower-downforce aero-package.

But Red Bull ace Coulthard told ITV that a ban on tyre warmers would not only make racing more dangerous, but could also increase running costs – particularly in testing.

"I would not favour banning tyre blankets, because I think you would increase testing costs," he said.


"We would have to do more laps than is currently necessary just to bring the tyres up to a representative temperature.

"I think it is a ludicrous idea to ban them."

"Look at winter testing," he added.

"You have got tyres that are designed to operate at 50 degree track temperatures and we were testing at 15 degree track temperatures at Barcelona [last month]. How many laps do you think you have do to get the tyres up to the normal temperature they are when we are racing?

"You would also have to run the tyres at lower pressures when you first went out on to the track to allow the air inside to expand when they heated up - and that can be dangerous.


"Looking back, low tyre pressures were thought to be a potential contributory factor in Ayrton Senna's fatal accident.


"I think there are a lot of arguments from a safety point of view to take away tyre blankets."

DC added that tyre blankets do not account for a significant running cost during a grand prix weekend and their use helps to maintain quality control as teams prepare their own tyres pre-session.

"It's actually one of the less expensive items that we use in a grand prix team," he said.

"And, because the team's technicians fit the tyre warmers themselves, they get to visualise and check the wheels and tyres much more than they would is if the wheels just came straight from the tyre fitters [at Bridgestone] and were fitted on the car. There is that extra layer of attention to detail."

"It's just a safer way to do it."

Despite his reservations about a tyre warmer ban, Coulthard does welcome the return to proper slicks, which he along with other drivers and teams got to test at Jerez last week.

"Running slicks will give us more potential to carry speed into the corners because as you unload the inside wheel and the tyre naturally rolls its inside edge off the tarmac – reducing the contact patch available," he said.

"The grooves we use now reduce that contact patch further, so with a slick you will have a larger percentage of the rubber in contact with the track at all times.

"It enables to carry more lock and brake into the corner which is a good thing for overtaking."

 

I would like to see F1 in the fore front of innovation in all aspects of design and performance. All these bans and limits are bad for the sport. I think it leaves the door open for a race program where advancements are welcomed.

I don't know why car manufacturers would want to be a part of it.

 

It's always a bad idea to send a slow car (cold tires) out on the track with fast cars (hot tires). Anything you can do to minimize speed differences WILL prevent accidents.

 

...screw the tire warmers and bring human competition back to F1... whoever is scared about safety, should know that a cold tire gets warmed in 4 laps max...and after safety cars there are no tirewarmers!...that will make competition thougher and bring a new variable that will make great thrills and really showcase the skilled...

...tire warmers, traction control, huge front wings, and grooved tires were the doom of the 90´s, battle wise.

 

TC and now tire warmers. With the various tricks/techniques the teams use it'll be interesting to see what the true impact of these moves are? One dead driver and these changes to make the sport more interesting and profitable, will be a terrible miscalculation.

 

"Looking back, low tyre pressures were thought to be a potential contributory factor in Ayrton Senna's fatal accident.

That bit doesn't concern you then..

 

That is acutally a good point. Haven't thought about a 'mixed' field of cars...

 

Yes - but the whole field is in the same boat behind safety car. Now what will happend if Super Aguri will try to overtake Ferrari that is running slower than usual on cold tires ?

 

...so be it!!!

...drivers learn to judge that and the more skilled usually smack the hell out of those who dont when they can even when backamrkers or midfielders...and I think in my humble opinion F1 could use a bit more of action in the raceweekend different from a few not-even-close passes when cars come out of pitlane and into the track...

 

I'am all for increasing overtaking as I am sure most can agree on that.

But this rule/ban IMO : risk's are to high for the little gain in excitment.

 

Sounds ok to me. Anyone have hard data on how long it takes the tires to properly warm up without the warmers? Not to be callous, but what's the difference with different cars going different speeds when it's strictly a tire issue, when you already have the front runners lapping the backmarkers left and right? It'll just be one more thing to seperate the men from the boys IMO.

 

Well, then it'd probably look somthing like Sato overtaking Alonso at Canada this year. It's called racing by the way not follow the leader.

 

Discussing this subject on another forum I think it is more of a safety factor than anything else, remember Gerhard Berger's imfamous spin leaving the pit's on cold tire's in the V12 Ferrari?

 

So, why then were CART drivers who used to race at Indy, who'd go out on cold tires to into a 250+mph stream of cars, never had any real issues with it. They've also been able to do without tire warmers on road courses and street circuits. They can handle the "risk" but an F1 driver can't? Racing is inherently dangerous. I don’t think the elimination of tire warmers raises that risk as great as you think.

 

Yes, and if he'd had traction control he wouldn't have spun. You race KARTS, do YOU need tire warmers before you go out for qualifying or before you start a race?


I didn't think so. It's amazing you're still alive.

 

-1

 

I'm FOR the ban for all the reasons others have cited.

If elimination of risk is paramount, get rid of the drivers, clearly it can be done....great show?...not. Life is full of risks, and no racer has ever been forced to become one.

I want to see drivers hang their ass out......why is Gilles so revered? Part of it was because he got in the car and flogged that *****! No whining, no compromises.

Any non-artificial way to let the superior driver show that he is superior should be endorsed. It's called racecraft.(ChampCars 'Power to Pass' is an example of an artificial and silly tool that shows me little of what a driver is made of)

Adage that comes to mind.....Everybody wants to race, no one wants to go fast.

 

NSS but they wont have TC next year !

No we did not need tire warmer's because we did not have 750-800+hp!

That's because I've got skill.

Just so I dont have to endure or listen to another barrage of immature remark's from you 'senna21', I have not forgotten you last one's, I never said I wanted the FIA to re-instate tire warmer's I only speculated at what MIGHT be one of reason's for them coming back and offered a past incident to use as a reference.

 

Charles, I havn't driven a F1 car so I'am not really in position to say with any experience I dont watch CART, can't comment.

You appear to be happy with it going fair enough, I watched top gear the other day a novice driver couldnt even get the tyres up to temp..so I suppose its a feat in its self
Lets wait and see then..sort the men from the boys is ok with me ,albeit in a safe manner not just for the hell of it.

 

My point exactly, I.E. if they did this wouldn't be an issue. So if anyone's arguing about getting rid of tire warmers because of safety then they certainly shouldn't be getting rid of TC as that keeps divers safe, if not safer, than tire warmers

But you have more than enough (given the power to weight ratio of a 125cc shifter kart) to spin out from excessive wheel spin on cold tires.

And F1 drivers don't?

I don't think my remarks are immature in the least. I think they get right to the point of discussion of this thread which is whether or not the elimination of tire warmers is good or bad or effects safety to a degree that they should be kept. I never mean to offend and only used the personal information that you've provided (that you've raced karts) here on FerrariChat to help prove my point and appeal to the racer in you and others.

 

Very well put 'senna21' I appreciate the clarification it was just hard to see with the 'wording' of your last post. I apologize for the 'immature' comment and for coming off in a negative manner.
Gregg