Comments on: Poll: should tyre warmers be banned?

By: James Steventon

James Steventon — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:06:33 +0000

I remember reading once that, in the wake of Senna’s fatal crash in 1994, a dramatic drop in tyre pressure was one of several different theories into the cause of the crash.
Naturally, a drop in pressure, due to the tyres not running to temperature, allowed the car’s ride height to drop, increasing
the chances of bottoming out.
Now, that may well be a large reason for why F1 still insists on
using tyre warmers. I think that tyre warmers should be dropped and for some simple reasons.
Majority of circuits used by F1 are now to a much higher standard than they were years ago. The track surfaces are smoother, and more forgiving. Fast corners, such as Turn 8 in
Turkey for instance, have huge run offs to allow for mistakes.
The issue, for me anyway, is not as large a one as if was say ten years ago. Pit stops would be far more interesting, for the fans atleast, if drivers were given cold ’slick’ tyres instead of preheated ‘grooved’ tyres.
Mistakes would be far more common place, as drivers would still have to push, but in the knowledge that they still had to
get their tyres up to temperature.
The biggest dramas, years ago, often occured when drivers had just left their pit on a cold set of Goodyears. That was
always Montoya’s strong point, an ability to run very well on cold tyres. Atleast, in his American open wheel years anyway.

By: Martin B

Martin B — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:54:32 +0000

You’re probably right, Keith. I recall the commentator at the time blaming Gerhard for not realising his tyres were cold and accelerating too hard.

Nonetheless, I don’t want to see a driver pussyfooting around the track warming his tyres while the others are screaming by, or being held up. Balls to the wall racing, 100% of the time, is the ideal.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:04:10 +0000

Are you referring to Berger’s crash at Estoril in 1993? That was blamed on his active suspension not being set up correctly – I never heard anyone say cold tyres were the cause. Besides which, they did have tyre warmers in 1993.

By: Martin B

Martin B — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:55:07 +0000

I think this would be a real step backwards for safety. I recall Gerhard Berger coming out of the pits on cold tyres and completely losing control. It was an almighty shunt.

As Scootin159 says, they’ll just figure out ways around it. Inflate with hot gas, hire fat people to keep tyres in their overalls, secret microwaves heating the tyres and sterilizing the pit crew, whatever…

This is not the kind of difficulty I think a driver should cope with. As it is, all too often one sees a driver not racing and the commentator says "He’s trying to spare his tyres." To my mind, tyres are too important in racing today, although I don’t see any alternative. Perhaps some sort of non-graining compound that allows a driver to go flat out for half a race, even if the grip is less?

By: Brar Soler

Brar Soler — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:49:45 +0000

It´s very easy to make the tyre temperature rise as Scootin159 says.

Another one. You can brake the front wheels and acelerate the rear ones and controlate that slip when going out the pitlane.

By: Haplo

Haplo — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:55:26 +0000

I say: ban the drivers that complain on a comfort basis, as Massa who complained about TC, and DC who complains about just everything.

By: Scootin159

Scootin159 — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:20:32 +0000

My biggest concern with the banning of tire warmers is that the rule will be very difficult to enforce. There’s debate going on right now in the SCCA (US amateur racing) about this very thing. Everyone universially wants to ban the warmers (when your budget comes out of your own pocket, you really want cost reducing rules)… but nobody has found a way to write the rule in such a way as to reduce loopholes.

I know there’s specifically referring to the electric tire blankets… but what about placing the wheels/tires in an oven beforehand? What about just turning the heat up REALLY high in the garage? What about just storing them in a warm truck? Laying them out in the sun? Under a solar blanket?

I’m sure you can all imagine plenty of ways to put an extra few degrees into the tire before putting them onto the car. Considering the difference these few degrees will make (which may be huge), we could see some very unique behaviors in the pits.

By: Rabi

Rabi — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:03:31 +0000

Other thing is that the older cars were heavier and more powerful generating more torque. These are things that don’t exist in the current F1 cars and shouldn’t be overlooked as something like torque would make a difference on tyres.

If you want competitiveness then something should be done about the aerodynamics and then other driver aids such as the semi-automatic gearbox. Get that clutch pedal back in!

By: Ogami

Ogami — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:15:10 +0000

The (huge) difference with the other sports is simply the grip of tyres.

As a general rule of thumb The higher the tyre’s grip, the narrower is the temperature window.

That’s why the actual slicks warm after two laps but experience degradation on long run (you go outside the temperature enveloppe).

So comparing with the other series is pointless.

I have to recall you that next year about half the downforce of a champ car will be allowed on F1 cars…just imagine the grip the slicks tyres tested now develop.

All drivers were amazed by the level of grip of the tyres, so an F1 slick tyre has nothing to see with a champ car one and even less with an indy one.

Comparing the older F1 tyres is not relevant either as the grip levels were not the same.

let’s wait for the next session in july, i’m sure brigestone will provide better tyres.

By: Andy Wolf

Andy Wolf — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:59:27 +0000

Proper slicks & no warmers….

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:37:25 +0000

Getting a tyre up to temperature on the track is a key part of a racing driver’s skill that is commonplace outside of F1 and is something we should see more of, not less.

That is the key point Keith!

By: Robert Mckay

Robert Mckay — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:25:20 +0000

Isn’t F1 rather in the minority in its use of tyre warmers? Don’t most racing series manage without them?

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:01:47 +0000

Barrichello and Rosberg added to the criticism this morning.

By: milos

milos — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:29:18 +0000

well, the comment above makes an interesting point. but as long as the difference in performance between cold and warm tyres remains as big as it is now it will create dangerous situations on the track.

before banning tyre warmers something should be done about tyres first

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:03:19 +0000

If we have to have pitstops then I also think there should be a way of maximising the penalty for actually making one. This seems like a way to do that.

The ideal situation would be for the tyres to behave in a way that would prevent leapfrogging, if that is possible.