Using the right tires for auto racing, ensures that your car will offer you the best performance when racing. These are one of the most vital parts of the car, thus the type of tire one purchases is extremely important. In Formula One, newer regulations have required them to have at least four grooves in them to make it easier to slow the cars down.

There are a few different types of tires in Formula 1, slick showed up again in 2009 with a few changes in their design, so as to shift the balance to increase overtaking. Soft slicks have a better grip, but do not last as long as hard ones. Hard tires last longer, but their grip is not as good. The right type of tire for specific conditions determines how much speed a driver can gain, and also how much friction and drag the car will experience. The are certain specifications designated by the committee in charge of Formula One racing were designed for safety of competitors in the race.

During races, drivers are expected use both types. The thing that determines how soft or hard a one will depends on its ingredients or materials. All of them contain three basic materials, including: oil, sulphur and carbon. The more oil a tire contains, the softer it will be. Those meant for rainy or wet weather conditions have full-tread patterns to ensure water does not get stuck to the tire or get trapped in its treads or grooves.

Tires that are made specifically for Formula One cars contain nitrogen-rich air so that the pressure is not as apt to change due to changes in temperature. Also, the nitrogen helps to stabilize the pressure, and in turn the tire last longer. If the pressure drops by twenty percent, that means the tire\’s life will be reduced by fifteen percent.

Formula One Racing has one official tire supplier for all drivers in the sport. Although, the official supplier has recently changed, the rules regarding uniformity for drivers, have not. These rules have changed some over the years, but the basic idea behind the regulations remains the same.

The benefit of uniformity in terms of the manufacturer is that it puts all racers on a level playing field and it cuts down on research and development expenses. Teams can use certain tirs meant for wet conditions at their own discretion during the qualifying rounds, but during the practice sessions, the type they use is determined by the rules.

In order to easily distinguish one from another, certain colors and markings are assigned to each type. Also, during the race, bar codes are put each driver\’s tires to make sure that they are following the rules, in terms of conforming to the specifications. Failure to obey the regulations can disqualify a competitor or will result in extra time being added to a driver\’s elapsed time results.

Although much of racing depends on the driver\’s skill, a portion of it also depends on the aerodynamics of the car and its components. Good tires increase the chances of better performance in the race. It is said that an average car with good tires has a better chance of winning than an extremely aerodynamic and well-designed car with substandard tires.

Author Bio: Fahad is an active racing driver and tuner. His personal blog includes tuning and racing articles with focus on Tyres Shaving and other related technical articles.

Category: Automotive
Keywords: racing tires, slick tires, using tires for racing, tires for performance, importance of tyres