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
Most road tires are “all season” so they are designed for multiple road conditions, rain, light snow, some dirt and sand. F1 cars use a treaded tire for wet conditions and no track has excessive dirt, sand or snow. The extra surface area on the F1 car is perfect for the road conditions they race in. Tire tread helps funnel moisture between the gaps allowing the tire to maintain better grip. If they were slick your risk of hydroplaning in wet conditions would increase dramatically
F1 tires are more like tacky rubber than the normal tires you see. F1 rain tires have tread as well. The also are designed to run at high temp thus the tire warmers.
F1 Tires are designed to work over 100mph for a vehicle less than a tonne in weight in dry conditions. My tires are made for the school run.
Because F1 slicks are only ever used on dry pavement. They have to change tires when it rains.
Your car has to be able to work in the rain and snow without pulling over to change tires.
The tread on a tire is present to provide a channel to displace the rain and snow, allowing the rubber to touch the road instead of floating on the rain and snow (hydroplaning).
Traction is dependent on how much surface area is in contact with the road. Slicks would be better for all cars because they provide the most surface area, but only if we never had rain or snow.
A tire with tread is less grippy than a slick, except on rain or snow, so we compromise by adding tread. As much rubber as we can get, without allowing the tires to float.
F1 tires have to be within a certain temperature window to operate effectively. That’s why you see them swerving during the formation lap before the race, they are generating heat in the tires. They also use warming blankets for the tires. Too cold, and they lose grip, too hot and the same thing happens.
Regular tires are design to handle any road condition/temperature, not for going fast.
Smooth, soft rubber tires are better on dry surfaces but terrible on wet! And they’re soft rubber that wears out super fast.
Regular drivers have to drive on water and snow, where treads are needed to remove water from under the tire. And road tires need to be harder rubber to prolong lifespan.
Basically, what’s feasible for F1 drivers to maximize traction on perfect track conditions is very different from what typical drivers need for daily driving.
OP – you haven’t gotten your answer yet. If you asked “why are street tires grooved”, then everyone giving the “rain” answer would be right. But, you asked why “street tires with no tread are slippery”.
Little background – tires are made from rubber and plastic compounds. These compounds are heat sensitive. If you overheat them, they will change their chemical compound. Usually, this means that they get very greasy when hot, then get harder than original when they cool. Even warming and cooling normally several thousand times will harden a tire.
So, a street tire that has naturally worn all of its tread off is going to be VERY hard. Think about what would happen if you put hard plastic wheels (like on a kids’ Power Wheels toy) on your car. However, if you take a brand new street tire and mechanically shave off the tread, then it’ll be VERY grippy! In fact, it’ll handle better than a new, non-shaved tire!
Also, F1 tires have a MUCH softer, grippier rubber compound than street tires. You can literally stick your fingernail into an F1 (or other racing slick) tire and leave an indentation of your nail. This is why a slick F1 tire is more grippy than a slick street tire (even one that’s been shaved).
Thr rubber is softer than your standard tires, so when it heats up it gets almost tacky.
The smoothness gives more surface contact area when in dry conditions, which is good, but in wet conditions, they change them out for tires with tread that will minimize the risk of the tire simply floating on top of the water at speed, which while reducing contact area, increases the ability of the tire to maintain contact with the ground itself, because you can’t steer well(if at all) on water at high speeds in a car.
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.
Street tires have to deal with multiple different conditions. F1 tires deal with one condition. If conditions change they put on different tires.
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