looks good to me! look at all the extra pocketing they did to reduce weight. Any shots of the backside of the wheel?
Certainly brings the modern F1 cars up to 2014. It needed doing, though it might be a hard pill to swallow for the old timers who can't get past the 1960s. If you miss 90 profile that much gentlemen, you can always fit them to your road cars, like they did way back then?
Here's a close up... can't really see the back side but you can sorda see through to the back: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'm interested to hear about the impressions of the wheel from a performance standpoint. I'm wondering how it impacted acceleration, cornering, braking, suspension travel... etc. You'd just assume that the entire suspension would have to be reworked, but then again, who knows? Also, I'm not really getting my hopes up for next season. I doubt it'll be implemented next season, but it sure would be cool to see some of the nicer looking cars like the Mercedes, Red Bull, and Williams rolling on these bad boys.
These wheels add nothing to performance. It's just for looks and therefore somewhat pointless given the damage already done through the replacement of decent rear wings with half size puny ones and the replacement of elegant noses with aardvarks, claws and mens vegetables.
I think they look stupid. the only thing that seems to be worth it is development for Pirelli.. and or wheel mfg;s to put them thru high g testing. i really am trying to like the new F-1 ... with small wings, all the aero crap, DRS turbo single outlet, with power recovery... etc.. it all sounds good, but the execution is terrible to watch. in Canada this was the first F-1 race that I have ever been to - including Monaco and Detroit in the 80's with Turbos - that you could hear the tire squeel over the engine noise... and for those who say F-1 does not have to be relevant to road cars ... I kind of agree... but they are now too relevant ... road cars have always been about 4-5 years behind F-1.... now F-1 is 10 years behind Road Cars... ABS, Active suspension, Active aero, Ceramics, multi cylinders V-10-12 - W12 etc...you can name tons of other things that some hyper exotics have that F-1 cant. LeMans is now the technical pinnacle of motor sport... F1 just costs way more.
I'm not talking about club racing. "Pimped" seems a bit extreme considering you can not buy virtually any performance car with wheels smaller then 18". (Yes I know a Fiesta ST comes with 17" )
Sorry didn't realise you thought GP2 and GP3 were considered 'club racing' In the world of single seaters 13" rules. Even Indy car is only on 15". If it's all about getting closer to state of the art road car wheel sizes then why settle at 18", why not go all the way and max out to 20" or more? Last I heard, Ferrari grew out of 18" in 1999 when the 360 came out Being 15 years behind the times is hardly more relevant to road cars.
Personally I think they look fantastic. I could never understood the little toy rims that have been in F1 forever. In the night races, the brakes will glow in all their glory. I'm sorry for being on the other side, but I do like them. Wait for the BBS wheels to come out and you'll change your mind. On the (more) serious note, interesting comments from Hembery on the challenges on developping such tires. Kerbs and camber settings will be things to look out. Pirelli ready for 18-inch tyres in 2016 | Formula 1 | Formula 1 news, live F1 | ESPN F1
GP2 and GP3 are coming from the same rules makers, they are trickle down from F1. They will get big wheels after F1. Your point about Indycar is good though. There is a practical limit as to how big they would want to go as the overall tire diameter is not that big. Personally I think anything bigger then 18" on the street is just for show.
+1 Frankly, the whole argument about them wanting to be relevant to road cars is ridiculous. Last time I checked slick tires are illegal in every civilized country.
F3, F2, FBMW, Formula Renault 2.0, World Series by Renault, Formula Ford, Formula Abarth, Formula Nippon...need I go on? All on 13's as well. Hardly club racing IMO.
F1 is now about looks not tech? The required modifications brought by changes in wheel spec and banning FRIC will cost a lot more than they save on testing. MADNESS.
I'm out but yes, Ford, Renault 2.0 and Abarth are club. Most of the others are FIA rules based series for development. Formula E ( ), Endurance racing, Touring cars all have modern rules with up to date technology.
These 18" tires look like FRAKING CRAP. Are they trying to make F1 more thug friendly? I'm getting disgusted with all the new F1 crap that keeps coming out that makes it look like a joke.
