Racing in the Wet at Canada.

Well, the way *I* read the rules, you can drive on wet tires on a dry track. Switching to dry tires won't reduce safety much, but will increase performance, which the rule doesn't allow (the way I read it). So the way I read it, you will not be able to swtich from wets to drys, but I think vise versa would work because slicks in the wet just really don't work. Sorry for using the "I read" too much, I just think the rule is stupid and unsafe, it's not even an objective rule.

 

Purely guessing: You're probably allowed one set of wet tires of a kind. Same rule as with dry tires. However since there are different types of wets (semi, wet, monsoon) you might be allowed to switch to a different type depending on how hard the rain comes down.

Also there is a special rule in place when the stewards declare a race a wet race. But I forgot the ramifications.

 

This is one of the reasons I love F1. Conditions get bad enough that you have to put on "monsoon" tires and the racing never stops, unlike other series where they red flag the race due to some rain.

Off topic, but when the cars are going 180+ in the rain, how does the airbox not get full of water? Do they have some sort of system that the water passes the air filter without having to go through the filter?

 

As much as I'm tempted to say now something in regards to their testicular fortitude, the reality can be very different: Remember Spa in the rain (one year after the start crash at Spa in the rain) and they decided to do a friggin rolling start?

I thought I was about to gonna cry. F1 is all about all weather racing and a standing start yet these knuckleheads decide to do a rolling start behind the friggin pace car!! How lame was that!? I hope to never ever see that pathetic scene again.

 

They were worried about the cars over heating while waiting for the start. It was a stupid decision and will never be repeated.

 

Here are the official rules:
SUPPLY OF TYRES IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND TYRE LIMITATION DURING THE EVENT
73) Supply of tyres:
a) Any tyre company wishing to supply tyres to Formula One Teams must notify the FIA of its intention to do so no later than 1 January preceding the year during which such tyres will be supplied.
Any tyre company wishing to cease the supply of tyres to Formula One Teams must notify the FIA of its
intention to do so no later than 1 January of the year preceding that in which such tyres were to be supplied.
b) No tyre may be used in the Championship unless the company supplying such tyre accepts and adheres to the following conditions:
- one tyre supplier present in the Championship: this company must equip 100% of the entered teams on ordinary commercial terms;
- two tyre suppliers present: each of them must, if called upon to do so, be prepared to equip up to 60% of the entered teams on ordinary commercial terms;
- three or more tyre suppliers present: each of them must, if called upon to do so, be prepared to equip up to 40% of the entered teams on ordinary commercial terms;
- each tyre supplier must undertake to provide no more than two specifications of dry-weather tyre to each Team at each Event, each of which must be of one homogenous compound. Any modification or treatment, other than heating, carried out to a tyre or tyres will be considered a change of specification;
- each tyre supplier must undertake to provide no more than one specification of wet-weather tyre at each Event which must be of one homogenous compound;
- each tyre supplier must undertake to provide no more than one specification of extreme-weather tyre at each Event which must be of one homogenous compound;
- if, in the interests of maintaining current levels of circuit safety, the FIA deems it necessary to reduce tyre grip, it shall introduce such rules as the tyre suppliers may advise or, in the absence of advice which achieves the FIA's objectives, specify the maximum permissible contact areas for front and rear tyres.
74) Quantity and type of tyres:
a) During the Event no driver may use more than four sets of dry-weather tyres, four sets of wet-weather tyres and three sets of extreme-weather tyres.
If a driver change is made during an Event the tyres allocated to the original driver must be used by the new driver.
From the four sets of dry-weather tyres each driver will be allocated two sets of differing specification for use on the first day of practice.
For the purposes of the above a set of tyres will be deemed to comprise two front and two rear tyres of the same specification.
Before 08.00 (or 07.00 during events taking place in North America) on the second day of practice each driver must nominate which specification of tyre he will use for the remainder of the Event. However, if both free practice sessions on the first day of practice are declared wet this decision may be deferred until 12.00 (or 11.00 during Events taking place in North America).
Unless the use of wet or extreme-weather tyres is necessary one of the remaining unused sets of dry-weather tyres must be used for both of the qualifying sessions, all reconnaissance laps and the entire race. Unless a precautionary tyre change is necessary for clear and genuine safety reasons, only a punctured or damaged tyre may be changed during a race. No refuelling will be permitted whilst a car is in the pits for the purposes of changing a tyre.
b) All dry-weather tyres must incorporate circumferential grooves square to the wheel axis and around the entire circumference of the contact surface of each tyre.
c) Each front dry-weather tyre, when new, must incorporate 4 grooves which are:
- arranged symmetrically about the centre of the tyre tread;
- at least 14mm wide at the contact surface and which taper uniformly to a minimum of 10mm at the lower surface;
- at least 2.5mm deep across the whole lower surface;
- 50mm (+/- 1.0mm) between centres.
Furthermore, the tread width of the front tyres must not exceed 270mm.
d) Each rear dry-weather tyre, when new, must incorporate 4 grooves which are:
- arranged symmetrically about the centre of the tyre tread;
- at least 14mm wide at the contact surface and which taper uniformly to a minimum of 10mm at the lower surface;
- at least 2.5mm deep across the whole lower surface;
- 50mm (+/- 1.0mm) between centres.
The measurements referred to in c) and d) above will be taken when the tyre is fitted to a wheel and inflated to 1.4 bar.
e) A wet-weather tyre is one which has been designed for use on a wet or damp track.
All wet-weather tyres must, when new, have a contact area which does not exceed 280cm² when fitted to the front of the car and 440cm² when fitted to the rear. Contact areas will be measured over any square section of the tyre which is normal to and symmetrical about the tyre centre line and which measures 200mm x 200mm when fitted to the front of the car and 250mm x 250mm when fitted to the rear. For the purposes of establishing conformity, void areas which are less than 2.5mm in depth will be deemed to be contact areas.
Prior to use at an Event, each tyre manufacturer must provide the technical delegate with a full scale drawing of each type of wet-weather tyre intended for use.
f) An extreme-weather tyre is one which has been designed for use on a wet track.
All extreme-weather tyres must, when new, have a contact area which does not exceed 240cm² when fitted to the front of the car and 375cm² when fitted to the rear. Contact areas will be measured over any square section of the tyre which is normal to and symmetrical about the tyre centre line and which measures 200mm x 200mm when fitted to the front of the car and 250mm x 250mm when fitted to the rear. For the purposes of establishing conformity, void areas which are less than 5.0mm in depth will be deemed to be contact areas.
Prior to use at an Event, each tyre manufacturer must provide the technical delegate with a full scale drawing of each type of extreme-weather tyre intended for use.
g) Prior to the start of the first qualifying practice session, and subject to the requirements of Articles 117 and 119, wet and extreme-weather tyres may only be used after the track has been declared wet by the race director, following which extreme, wet or dry-weather tyres may be used for the remainder of the relevant session.
h) Tyre specifications will be determined by the FIA no later than 1 September of the previous season. Once determined in this way, the specification of the tyres will not be changed during the Championship season without the agreement of the Formula One Commission.
75) Control of tyres:
a) The outer sidewall of all tyres which are to be used at an Event must be marked with a unique identification.
b) Other than in cases of force majeure (accepted as such by the stewards of the meeting), all tyres intended for use at an Event must be presented to the FIA technical delegate for allocation prior to the end of initial scrutineering.
c) At any time during an Event, and at his absolute discretion, the FIA technical delegate may select alternative dry-weather tyres to be used by any team or driver from among the relevant stock of tyres which such team's designated supplier has present at the Event.
d) A competitor wishing to replace one unused tyre by another identical unused one must present both tyres to the FIA technical delegate.
e) The use of tyres without appropriate identification may result in the deletion of the rlelvant driver's qualifying time or exclusion from the race.
f) The only permitted type of tyre heating devices are blankets which use resistive heating elements.
76) Wear of tyres:
The Championship will be contested on grooved tyres. The FIA reserve the right to introduce at any time a method of measuring remaining groove depth if performance appears to be enhanced by high wear or by the use of tyres which are worn so that the grooves are no longer visible.

 

If i rains on sunday that would suck, dont wanna be taking pictures in the rain. But if it will allow Schumi and Rubens to take the win then im all for it.

 

Think about the glowing red brake discs you'll be able to see!

 

the rain bridgestones are probably just as un developed as the dry ones. I doubt Ferrari would have any advantage in the wet

 

I still have the feeling the Bridgestones do better in cooler conditions and then the gap isn't as big.

Also Michael is fantastic in the rain.

OTOH cool weather would be less hard on the brakes, which is always a big concern in Canada. That might play into Williams' hands who always seem to suffer the most from brake problems.

 

"IF performance appears to be enhanced"
Sure as hell it wasn't

 

Thanks. That sounds a bit more optimistic. At least the eighties temps would dry the clothes after a brief shower.

 

Wet is okay.
We will get to see the rain master, Schumi. Also, we're going to find out if those wet Bridgestone tyres are any good.

ps: Cute girls with white t-shirts. (when it's raining)
Me and Bernie (Bernardo66) will like it.

 

You aren't the only ones! LOL

 

Any of you gents have one spare ticket for sale? We need one more and grandstand location doesn't matter as long as it is a decent seat.
Thanks!

 

Any of the SoCal crowd flying out of LAX tomorrow on the way to Montreal? We might have a SF flight

 

If the tires are having trouble getting heat in them for one lap then it being cooler would not help much. I might be wrong but who knows. Michael is great in the rain but i think some others have caught up to him in that respect. I don't rememeber the last time he actually won in the rain can anyone help refresh my memory? Either way i hope they do well and i hope you guys that are going have a blast.
Forza Ferrari !!

 

It will not be the first time the FIA forgot something.