Pirelli tires being stored/cured at certain temperatures

Quoted from this AutoSport Article.

Hamilton also suggested that the matter could go as deep as to how the tyres are prepared before they even hit the track.

"I think it is what we do before we get in the car," he suggested.

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I think the above means that there is something being done to the tires ahead of time. I don't think the teams are adding any chemicals to alter the compounds, but there is a good chance that the tires need to be either stored, heated or cooled to a certain temperature to prepare them for the race.

What do you guys think?

Edited by l8apex, 14 May 2013 - 04:31.

We know that they are not allowed to add any chemicals, so that leaves storing. I don't what the rules are there, but the tire warmers are supposed to heat up the whole tire so I doubt there should be much difference in storing them in a own. If that's allowed. In any case, if storage would make any difference, I doubt it could change anything but the first lap speed.

Mercedes have a special kind of suspension, optimizing traction and keeps all wheels in good contact with tarmac. In theory that is a good thing, but it seems like a good compromise, more loading and unloading the tire, is working better than optimizing load/grip constantly. When grip is not needed, tires should get a rest.

Edited by ardbeg, 14 May 2013 - 06:44.

Christ this is getting stupider by the day.

Tyre storeage is actually quite important, and in hot weather the ones on the outside of the container will be cured/ baked more than the ones in the middle. Usually keeping them cool and dark is the best but with the current crop who knows.
A 'green' tyre is usually faster but not as durable. Normally putting a heat cycle through a tyres makes it more consistent.
Though Pirellis last stint in F1 evidently they could not even make them the same diameter! So quite possibly the compound is quite varied also these days.
Most racers will tell you that some tyres of the same brand and compound are quite different, or go 'off' differently, most come back. Some never do.
And what we are seeing seems to be all of this plus more.

Tire curing is nothing new to motorsports, so it shouldn't be a surprise if there is a trick involved to get them last longer (outside of illegal chemicals).

I think he means it's not an issue with physically driving the car, 'before we get in the car' probably just means how their engineers approach setting up / designing the car. He doesn't say 'what we do to the tyres before we slap them on the car'.

AFAIK tires for road cars also must be stored in certain conditions. I guess there are some conditions that suit these Pirelli tires better also. It's interesting anyway.

I couldn't write a more absurd joke than these tires if I tried. Whatever it takes to prevent Red Bull from winning/gift it to someone else. Even if it ruins every team's season except for one.