When you Google why are f1 tires smooth, the answer is no tread means more surface area, so better grip, but when you Google why do street tires have grooves, the same answer comes up. I’m confused. Also, is this a physics question, engineering or technology? Lol
In: Engineering
There are a handful of reasons:
First, street tires only have tread so they can displace water when the roads are wet. If you were to build a street tire with no tread, it would have a lot more grip and perform much better. In dry conditions, a tire with no tread provides the greatest level of grip.
The reason street tires with no tread are slippery and dangerous is because the rubber has been worn down past the sticky part. Modern street tires use different compounds for the tread and the carcass. The carcass is the base part of the tire, and the tread is wrapped around it.
In fact, if you look at a tire like the [Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R](https://www.tirerack.com/tires/michelin-pilot-sport-cup-2-r) or [Toyo Proxes R888R](https://www.tirerack.com/tires/toyo-proxes-r888r), you’ll see that they have very little tread. Both of these tires are sold as “track only” tires, but they are technically DOT legal, which means they are street tires.
The primary reason F1 tires are so grippy is the type of rubber compound they’re made of. Street tires are really an incredible technology. They’re simultaneously very grippy, but also very durable. F1 tires are also an engineering marvel, but they wear out *very* quickly. If you ever get a chance to go to an automotive race, definitely go early and walk through the garages. I don’t necessarily recommend F1 for this, because their access isn’t the greatest.
In North America, the IMSA WeatherTech series has races at a bunch of locations around the country. Fan access is great. You can literally walk through the garages and check out tires.
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