Eli5 – F1 cars have smooth tyres for grip yet on a normal car this would be certain death. Why do smooth tyres give F1 cars more grip yet normal cars less grip?

Question

Eli5 – F1 cars have smooth tyres for grip yet on a normal car this would be certain death. Why do smooth tyres give F1 cars more grip yet normal cars less grip?

In: 3088

Answer 1

Traction (how well tires grip) comes from the compound they are made of, the surface texture, temperature and the condition (and temperature) of the asphalt.

In closed circuit racing, the tires are super heated (typically lasted for the race) and almost turn into glue. This makes them extremely sticky, and gives them superior traction.

On the open road, the road’s integrity is quite poor by comparison and littered with rocks and debris. We also drive during the rain and in the cold and don’t push our tires to build up nearly as much heat as on the track (road vehicles don’t hit speeds of 300 KPH). So we add tread to tires to offset these differences.