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

With tyres, the grooves/tread are only there to give water somewhere to go.

When it rains in F1 they put wet tyres on which have grooves to let the water escape.

Intermediate tyres have shallower and/or less grooves because there isn’t as much water that needs to escape.

On a car tyre, it is the flat pieces or rubber which grip the road through friction.

For off-road tyres, the deep tread is there to grab onto things instead of using surface to surface friction. Like when you dig in with your toes whilst climbing a muddy hill.