Drivers Getting Heated up Over Tyre Blanket Ban

Originally posted by Buttoneer

Sadly I have to confess that I agree with Ross and that the added risk of falling off the track and having to defend hard for a lap or two is quite an exciting prospect. [/B]

Originally posted by as65p
I fear the FIA's answer to that will be a orange flag with a black circle on it to stop the cold-tyred cars fighting for position...;)

Originally posted by howardt
It will lead to : "Cars on the circuit at different speeds". I guess your view of the tyre-blanket ban is directly related to your view of this outcome. As a driver, it may very well increase risk of a mistake and risk of a collision. As a spectator, it's a good thing (different speeds i mean, not collisions).

Originally posted by paranoik0
My guess is this can be done without being so much unsafe, but Bridgestone hasn't got it right yet. Drivers might have been a bit defensive lately, but they're not idiots. At the moment they're pretty much the only ones who can give an informed opinion as they've tested it in Barcelona.

I' going to pull out a number out of my ass - IMO ideally you'd want a tyre that would be about 2 seconds per lap until it gets up to temperature. A bigger difference than that would really be dangerous. You have to consider that F1 cars these days are much much closer in performance, half the grid is within a second per lap. Drivers therefore would have an harder time adjusting to huge speed differences. Back then in the 80s and earlier, when there were no tyre warmers, the differences between cars were much bigger, drivers had to deal with it constantly and therefore were more used to it.

Originally posted by Buttoneer
Sadly I have to confess that I agree with Ross and that the added risk of falling off the track and having to defend hard for a lap or two is quite an exciting prospect.

Originally posted by Gilles4Ever


What's the difference in lap time between the fastest car and the slowest car at the moment anyway? more than 2 secs a lap?

Originally posted by Gilles4Ever
Is there a series other than F1 that uses tyre warmers?

Originally posted by howardt
It will lead to : "Cars on the circuit at different speeds". I guess your view of the tyre-blanket ban is directly related to your view of this outcome. As a driver, it may very well increase risk of a mistake and risk of a collision. As a spectator, it's a good thing (different speeds i mean, not collisions).

Originally posted by glorius&victorius


Today's F1 drivers have become such a poopers... different speeds, and so what? The cars have brakes dont they?

I would love to see a lesser car with hot rubber trying to overtake top car with cold rubber... especially if they are on different strategies.

Originally posted by Torch
One other point that makes me in favour of this is that the better drivers will be able to get their temperatures up quicker by pushing harder earlier.

Raising the importance of a driver is a good thing.

I have vague recollections of a race a few years back where Alonso was able to get on the pace quicker than his competitors making up valuable time (was this a wet race )

Originally posted by StefanV
Exciting stuff. Problem with cold tires are that they are very unpredictable, you can get almost a "aquaplaning" effect sometimes. When that happens, the drivers skill does not mean much. So the trick is to stay below that rather sharp limit and that is not so easy if your competitor is polishing your gear box.
.

Originally posted by paranoik0


I think about 2 secs per lap between a Ferrari and a Force India, a bit more between a Ferrari and an Aguri.

But notice cars are already much slower when they come out of a pitstop due to being heavier on fuel, now add 2 seconds on top of it, and place that car ahead of a light car with hot tyres...

Originally posted by Perigee
But if it really is a safety issue - and there seem to be multiple voices raising this concern now - then perhaps the drivers views should be considered.

Originally posted by Fatgadget


Well,Mr Bridgestone should then develop a tyre that is progressive,no? I am sure tyre technology has developed leaps and bounds since those bad old days when tyres were made out of natural rubber !

Originally posted by FrankB
Away from F1, it's not unusual to have cars racing in different classes running at very different speeds throughout a race, not just for one or two laps after a pitstop. Drivers in those races seem to cope, and I am not just thinking about a local club meeting where almost anything can be entered to fill the grid. I recall an interview with Derek Bell where he said how frightening it could be driving down Mulsanne at around 250 mph in the dark and catching up with slower cars that were 'only' doing 150 mph.

Originally posted by Gilles4Ever
2 secs over a lap isn't that big an issue really, in Bahrain Davidson was almost 4 secs a lap slower than Massa, the 2 sec delay in outlap pace is just an element to factor into the strategy, its hardly dangerous.

Originally posted by StefanV

That was what I suggested in the part of the quote that you deleted.

Originally posted by FrankB
Away from F1, it's not unusual to have cars racing in different classes running at very different speeds throughout a race, not just for one or two laps after a pitstop. Drivers in those races seem to cope, and I am not just thinking about a local club meeting where almost anything can be entered to fill the grid. I recall an interview with Derek Bell where he said how frightening it could be driving down Mulsanne at around 250 mph in the dark and catching up with slower cars that were 'only' doing 150 mph.

Originally posted by lukywill
yeah. blankets are short.

it does not cover racing at all.

why not a new michelin tire who actually races with blankets?

what about 'extreme' temperatures in the 39º air? cold blankets. what a chill?!

Originally posted by Josta
All they have to do is treat the rubber with petrol. Wheel spin away, and hey presto hot tyres.

Originally posted by MichaelPM
Last year with the McLarens down the end of the pit lane for extended lengths of time to start Q3 I am not so worried about tyres getting cold and them instantly flying off the track in the first lap.

Originally posted by Ogami musashi
2 seconds????i've seen 10 seconds a lap in fact.

By the way, don't compare IRL, champ car or whatever you want, the speed differential is proportional to the tyre's grip.

The more grip from the tyre, the narrower the temperature operating window (thus the bigger the speed differential).

Now compare thoses slicks, that with 1250kg(maximum) of downforce bring better lap times with the slicks on a champ car DP01 with two times the downforce (2500kg a 300km/H), and try to imagine the level of grip the new F1 slicks provide.

my opinion is then it depends on how much is the speed differential, if it's really 10sec/lap, it is 216km/h average vs 236 here at barcelona.

Originally posted by Villes Gilleneuve
I don't get Schumacher these days, he's making comments that show he was never the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Tire warmers are only needed if everyone else uses them. If no one uses them, level playing field.

MS has also made some weird comments about Massa's ability to drive a non-TC car, which is ironic from Schumi, since most of his car control was steering wheel button-mediated for most of his wins.

God forbid we see some need for driving talent in F1 -where will all the "juniors" and Satos go?

Originally posted by Villes Gilleneuve

(...)Tire warmers are only needed if everyone else uses them. If no one uses them, level playing field.(..)

Originally posted by Gilles4Ever
Surely the level of grip is going to affect the cornering speeds most not the straight line speeds. if the lap time is x% slower that wont automatically translate to x% slower on the straight.

Originally posted by Atreiu
Imagine someone trying slicks during a race at a damp Spa. The first corner he faces is nothing less than Eau Rouge. His options are to either crawl through it in order to not crash, or be brave, go at full speed and crash at one of the fastest corners of all. Even if he decides to crawl through it 20km/h slower than he normally would, what will happen to the fool on heated tyres and a lighter car who decides to overtake him on the outside because he's on a hot lap before he pits???? Or do you think he'll sit behind and lose a couple of seconds at least in the name of safety?

If not Spa, it can happen at Montreal or any nice street circuit with close walls and people fighting for postions while others struggle to get their tyres to temperature. 2009 will also have more street circuits beckoning for someone to crash on cold tyres...