If low profile tires adds performance on a vehicle especially on super/sports cars, why do F1 cars have thick tires?

Question

If low profile tires adds performance on a vehicle especially on super/sports cars, why do F1 cars have thick tires?

In: 1

Answer 1

It’s not necessarily the profile itself which adds performance. If the car is designed for high-profile tires, then a low-profile tire would reduce performance.

F1 cars essentially use the sidewall as a suspension component. The sidewall flexes and this can be exploited for ride compliance and roll control.

Having said that, F1 is changing to 18″ wheels with low-profile tires for this year, which means totally re-designing the suspension and brakes to account for the lack of sidewall compliance and manage tire temperatures.