Dear Faithful Readers,

My sincere apologies as I was not able to update my blog since 02Sep08 due to personal commitments. Well!! I am back & roaring to go.

Last issue (12Aug), we heard the basics of racing tyres from Mr. Hamashima. We will continue from there and hopefully, move up a step further.

Do you know the average mileage life expectancy of F1 tyres? Of course, you may be able to guess from the number of times tyres on racing cars are changed during a single race, but basically it is around 200km. In the last issue, we discussed various differences between ordinary tyres and racing tyres, but again, we see a major difference. As you know, 200km is only a distance of a round trip between Tokyo and Gotenba on Tomei Expressway. So then, why is it 200km? In a simple phrase: “It is because grip performance has precedence over abrasion performance.” As a matter of fact, tires have to deliver a high power from the engine that could be over 1000 horse-power to the road surface, while enduring centrifugal force in ultra high speed cornering. Under such harsh circumstances, it is no wonder that priority is given to grip performance.

So, I asked how such grip power is obtained. He mentioned that first, “bite” on the road surface is most important, which can be achieved by using soft rubber. Rubber has the tendency of becoming softer in warm temperature, while it becomes harder in cold temperature, which causes difficulty in displaying its original features. So tyres are developed to attain best grip power at an appropriate temperature, which is reached by the heat created through running.

By the way, do you have any idea what this appropriate temperature would be? Amazing, but it is 80 degrees C to 100 degrees C! Say that it was 100 degrees C, you would be severely burnt if you touched them with bare hands! Moreover, are you not worried that rubber might melt at such high temperature? You are right! In a sense, the rubber is melted. The more rubber melts, the softer it becomes and this stickiness is what brings about a strong grip power. Isn’t it a wonder that they can run for 200km under such conditions? Although I had assumed that the temperature of tires had to be at a certain level, as I often saw tires being wrapped in a warmer at the starting grid, I didn’t imagine it would be so high.

Likewise the previous issue, we learned many surprising details. Next time, I would like to ask how tyre grips are used differently according to each driver. See you next time!

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