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

Well, for starters: They don’t. Slick tyres (that’s what they’re called) are widely used in motorsport exactly for their superior grip. You could put slick tyres on your regular car, and it would in fact give better grip. But you don’t, for two reasons:
1. A regular road car doesn’t really need the extra grip
2. Slick tyres are purpose made for specific conditions. That is, dry asphalt, optimally of race circuit quality. Let some rain drop, and those tyres will soon turn your car into an incredibly shoddy boat. That’s why F1 and carious other series have separate wet tyre compounds as well.

So in short: Your premise is false, slick tyres give better grip for **any** vehicle, but only as long as you drive under ideal conditions.