A question about F1 tires and driving style

Yes. With the new regulations stipulating that tyres have to last a whole race distance, those who can conserve their tyres will have an advantage towards the end of a race.

This is not only related to the driver's particular style, but the car itself. For example the Renault last year had its CoG further towards the rear than most, helping at starts, but causing a lack of grip at the front and subsequent understeer. So the drivers had to adapt their driving to cope with this.

In 2005 a car that chews tyres quickly is going to be at a disadvantage to one which doesn't. But if the benefit of increased speed outweighs the negative of increased wear, that's when the team will tell the driver to make do with what he's got. It's all a balancing act. They'll still try to get the best of both worlds (low tyre wear and good pace) - that's the idea of testing and development.

 

At the end of the day... it does not matter!

Bridgestone, Ferrari, Michael Schumacher and Rubens will end up on top.

All you need to know is Ferrari 1 - 2 !!! Six more days to go!

 

Guys I guess I lost something during my months off F1 Racing.
Now tires have to last a full week-end? No more pit stop changes?
Are you kidding me?

That takes all the fun out.

 

Its to do with two factors:
1. How easy the car is on its tires and
2. How easy the driver is on its tires

With regard to the car, it is to do with chassis settings that exploit the grip of the tire without chewing up the tire. The 2003 Renault was very good at this. Williams for instance have not been as gentle with their tires in the last few years.

With regard to the driving style - a driver like Barrichello is easy on tires and brakes due to his driving style. Michael is tougher on tires due to his turning while cornering style and frequent overlap of throttle and brakes. This is why Ross Brawn made a comment that he feels that Rubens would benefit from the 05 rules more than Michael. Michael has to adapt his driving style to make sure the tires last.

And BTW, Alonso is not tough on tires despite his aggressive looking style. I remember reading an F1 Racing interview with Pat Symonds who clearly stated this.

 

MS purposely oversteers into turns and controls the car by modulating brake and throttle. I wondered myself how MS will adapt to this tire rule and if he will alter his driving style. He is one of those who use brake and throttle concurrently to turn the car, which in my opinion causes the rears to wear much quicker than most.

 

There will still be pit stops, but only to add more fuel; no more tyre changes, unless they get a flat or it starts raining.

 

I can see it now: the designated pit "ice pick" man.

 

Michael has been preparing over the winter for the rule changes. It will be drivers such as Mark Webber, Kimi, Montoya, Alonso and Button who will suffer the most.

 

Why would they suffer?

 

I am guessing they didn't take the winter to practice with the new rule changes!

 

Due to their lack of adaptability and lack of competitiveness.

 

Huh? You just named the four drivers who have actually presented a solid effort against Schumacher over the last two years...

 

Actually Imperial does have a point but he explained it poorly.

His explanation should have been, because these young drivers have only driven in F1 when tyre chances were the norm.

MS, DC, JV, Fisi, Trulli and a few I have probably missed will have experienced this rule before ... but I must say this rule WILL slow MS down, he used to kill tyres and thus give the advantage to MH (Hakinen) ... but then the Ferrari chassis has come a long way since then.

Pete

 

Good point. However, to say Kimi, Montoya, Button, & Alonso have a 'lack of competitiveness'. I've never actually heard 'lack of competitiveness' with that list of drivers before actually. Wasn't Imperial the one saying Montoya was *too* competitive? Or was that LopeAlong?

 

Yeah Imperial does allow the (Ferrari?) red mist to get in the way of his thought process sometimes

Pete

 

Pete it must been really long back when tire changes were not there in F1. I heard of no refueling like before 1993 (?) but no tires ... hmmmm ... cant remember when that was there

I dont think any of these guys including Schumi would have this experience.

 

Well the people who were smart enough understood my point.... it is not my fault that people do not remember all those decades in which Ferrari won nothing.

It is easy to criticize Michael and Ferrari. It is hard to stick by a team over time.

Ferrar 1 - 2!!!! 5 more days to go!!!

 

Yeah but a statement like "lack of adaptability or competitiveness" seems baseless IMO.

 

Who's criticizing MS, given he has been at the top of his game he probably will have no trouble coping with new regulation. But his driving style being on the brake and throttle concurrently into turns mean he forces the rear to step out and that means tire wear. But then again with harder compound the wear will be a lot less and he would have less effort getting the rear to step out...

The only tire rule change I remember in the modern F1 with all these drivers around was when they went from slicks to grooved. And recently they had to also start the race in the same tires they qualified with and they could not change compound.

 

Yeah I think you are right ... oops by me. We would have to go back to the Niki Lauda days I think ...

Thus its a level playing field ... but MS will have to watch as compared to MH he did not use his tyres well, in the past.

Pete

 

Stop making logical points...

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. In my humble opinion....

Ferrari 1 - 2!!! 5 more days to go!