Just was thinking this while my car was getting serviced.. Why do regular vehicles have tread which gets less responsive as it loses it’s tread, while race cars use slick tires for maximum grip? Wouldn’t physics say more tire on road = more surface to grip? If so, why do our cars even have tread? Is it simply to save on MPG? If so, are tires with worn thread less responsive?
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Treads on a tire serve to to prevent hydroplaning in the rain and other slick conditions.
Racing slicks are also composed of a softer compound and are designed to work at high temperature which softens it further increasing grip.
Slicks are also not designed to go 40k miles. As your car tires are used they heat up. Over time this constant heating and cooling causes the rubber to harden further. By the time your tires are bald they will have hardened to a point where the is actually less friction than on slicks.
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