Softer tyres

[Gerard]

Next year Michelin will enter the formula one world in a bid to compete with Bridgestone.
The issue has sparked fears that the tyres would become softer in turn resulting in understeer.
There's also the possibility Bridgestone will provide softer tyres to some teams this year already in order to have an advantage on Michelin when the next season begins.
McLaren's managing director Martin Whitmarsh has said the new MP4-15 is designed to cope with increasing understeer.
He explained by saying: "Understeer is a more prominent feature with soft tyres, and our car will reflect that."
I have two questions.
What will be left of the grooves of a soft tyre after the race?
And could it be possible McLaren is looking ahead already and therefore designed a car which can cope with understeer?

[Peter Mallett]

I always thought softer tyres gave more grip and so produced oversteer. Unless the tyre walls are softer in which case you'd get loads of roll and understeer.

[THR]

Softer tires always produce more grip
the balance will change a bit but that always happens with different compounds/tracks/constructions.

softer would not make oversteer unless only the front tires got softer with hard rears.

the understeer with softer tires happens cos the tires get used faster and fronts take more of a hammering when racing.

[Dino IV]

Great move by BMW, I'd like to add in the first place.
They have a slim change of getting their car\engine-potential up to par with McLaren within a few years, so they figured out that a tyre-war could bring them a lot earlier the succes they want to achieve.
The almost love-like relationship Bridgestone and Mercedes have shown over a decade in all kinds of autosport, made BMW turn to their closest tyre-friends Michelin, who were already considering a duel with Bridgestone, probably resulting in a come-back of Good-Year too in a few years.

Especially with the aprox. three qualifying-stints todays races consist of, the laptime benefits of softer thus faster tyres are enormous, compared to the relatively small steps bhp and chassis can provide, as they have already reached 95% of their potential under these regulations.

So very very interesting indeed.
Although THR is absolutely right about the principles of softer tyre-fysics, I doubt that Whitmarsh was pointing in the direction of the oncoming battle next year, but more to the effective use of softer tires in the races this year.
Although last years McLaren suffered from the least tyre-wear in the field, they never had a lot of faith running softer tyres. As Ferrari showed them sometimes that it could have been benefitial, like in Sepang where TGF wore them to slick-look-a-likes, I guess they have changed their point of view a bit and will favour the softer ones more often.

Keep in mind the dry-weight of the McLaren and the Ferrari show this year, minus another 10\20 kg they find next year and the tyre-war will show tires, soft as never seen before in F1-races.
I am very curious what the Scuderia will do, take the Michelin-bet or stick with McLaren-friends Bridgestone.
Guess if they want to beat them they'll have to do the first, but Pirelli is gonna be very very mad ...
If not BMW can get passed two opponents at once and have Montoya lead them to glory.

Sticky fingers and tea-leaves don't go well

Regards,

Dino IV

[This message has been edited by Dino IV (edited 25 February 2000).]

[THR]

interesting choice the teams make when a new tire comes into play

only the smaller teams choose the bridgestone when it came out
and maclaren only having seen how good they are choose them (my fav moment in GP history when D.hill overtook Schuey at hungury easyily and racing)

which makes me think williams are using michelin because of BMW pressure rather than sense

wot if they are worse?
quite likely, then they would be mid grid or even rear end.

the top teams need to be tires to beproven first, to much is at stake
williams are therefore stupid.
small teams can take the gamble easier. less to lose more to gain.

i agree that more "slicks" will be used this year.
as the rules are now layed out and no one got told off, so nearly slicks will be used in the race.
the initail grip the tires gives when new still makes them better when new, apparently, but only in qualifying.
and teams have been saying they only last a lap if that!