272 replies to this topic

[superden]

Apparently, according to Paul Hemberey:

 

Going forward, I think 19-inch or 20-inch tyres are the direction you want to go.

 

No Paul. No they are not.

 

[Fatgadget]

Why not? I also concur bigger wheels are the way to go..You can accommodate bigger brakes within the confines of big diameter wheels just for starters.

[HaydenFan]

But how much benefit is there in brake discs that are under an 18-20 inch wheel as opposed to a 13'' (current size) now? How many feet less would braking improve? 

[TF110]

Bigger brakes may do more to offset the weight of bigger wheels and brakes. Itd call for a rethink in the suspension as well. Wider tires should be added with it imo.

[TecnoRacing]

Interesting, in the Pirelli rendering the 18" wheels still retail a large amount of neg. offset/deep dish while, which is a very good from a aesthetic point of view. I was expecting and fearing something more akin to the Formula E car which also uses a large diameter wheel but with the horrible, completely flush street car look...

[KingTiger]

Just another idiotic idea from the root of F1's degredation. 

 

Why not? I also concur bigger wheels are the way to go..You can accommodate bigger brakes within the confines of big diameter wheels just for starters.

 

There is absolutely no reason to go for bigger brakes or wheels.

[Kenstate]

I don't get it. The first stretch of semi decent races where tires were absolutely not an issue and they want to go to 20"? For what, to mess things up because things were going just too well?

[onewingedangel]

Larger wheels and lower profile tyres to bring it in line with LMP/Sportscars/roadcars is fine with me if it means the return of active suspension.

[TF110]

I think 17 or 18" wheels would look best on these cars. The lack of fenders and the size of the cars in general would have anything larger look cartoonish.

[Shambolic]

I don't see a problem with sensibly sized tyres/ profiles, compared to the rather bizarre 13" things we've had forever. But then I also don't necessarily see wheel size as an urgent matter either.

One thing I am wondering is potential safety gains/ losses. Would a larger wheel and less overall rubber weigh more or less than the current combination?

[eronrules]

i have no problem at all. these pirelli's look good.

 

also, going with 20'' rims will allow tirewalls to play less in the way of suspension travel. this will translate into more suspension travel in the actual suspension of the car.

 

cars will be less sensitive to pressure/temp buildup. engineers will have more direct control of suspension adjustment. 

 

larger brakes can be accomodated with improved airflow.

 

glowing brake discs ... i can fap to this 

 

Edited by eronrules, 09 July 2014 - 02:27.

[Brother Fox]

As a non technical person, I may be wrong but doesn't larger brakes = smaller braking distances = even fewer passing opportunities?

A lot of the look would depend on the aspect ratio too, not just rim size

[Wuzak]

As a non technical person, I may be wrong but doesn't larger brakes = smaller braking distances = even fewer passing opportunities?

A lot of the look would depend on the aspect ratio too, not just rim size

 

If the tyre grip is the same, then no.

[Lazy]

Bigger wheels equals more mechanical grip, I'm for it.

[OO7]

If the tyre grip is the same, then no.

Larger brakes will reduce stopping distance given equal grip levels.  Remember at high speeds with current brakes, grip dominates braking power, which is why the drivers can use maximum effort to press the brake pedal without fear of a lockup.  After a second or so the driver will then have to modulate pedal force.

[SenorSjon]

I saw the Pirelli render of 18" and I think it looks very nice. It also prevents bouncing cars like Maldonado - Gutierrez.

[PayasYouRace]

If I was a chassis engineer I'd be loving this, having more control over the car's suspension by not having to rely on tyre modelling as much. Actually, as an aero guy I love this too, because these tyres will deform less and affect the car's aero less.

[Lazy]

Long overdue I would have thought.

[Gorma]

Larger brakes will reduce stopping distance given equal grip levels.  Remember at high speeds with current brakes, grip dominates braking power, which is why the drivers can use maximum effort to press the brake pedal without fear of a lockup.  After a second or so the driver will then have to modulate pedal force.

Larger wheels don't automatically mean larger brakes.

[Kraken]

People are missing the point. The larger tyres are purely about marketing. The last time the tyre contract went out for tender several companies said they weren't interested as the F1 tyres had no marketing value for their range of road tyres. In their consumer tests people couldn't equate an F1 tyre with the look of the tyres on their own modified cars.

 

What Pirelli is doing is giving people an idea of what they would look like and the teams some data ahead of the next tyre contract round in 2017. If the FIA can say that the contract is for 18", 19" or 20" tyres then they will get a lot more interested companies bidding.

[Tourgott]

I saw the Pirelli render of 18" and I think it looks very nice. It also prevents bouncing cars like Maldonado - Gutierrez.

 

Guess how they will actually look like later. Who thought we'll get penis noses when they said "noses will be lower in 2014"?

[nuripoko]

[David Lightman]

The 18" wheels look great

 

Edited by David Lightman, 09 July 2014 - 08:31.

[Lazy]

They do, the 13inchers were anachronisms maintained by momentum.

 

They may be a marketing thing but they are also superior in many ways.

[zottzell]

Larger disc breaks would probably also make it possible to go back to more conventional discs, maybe start using steel instead of carbonfibre which would would be positive from a cost standpoint.

As long as they don't go totally overboard on the size I don't really think its that big of a deal, slicks would look totally out of place though (but they do that everywhere).

[babbel]

Wow that looks fantastic!

[Humbug]

Indeed, they look fantastic. Can't be introduced too early, imo.

[f1RacingForever]

What about chrome spinners? Ghetto Fab!

[ConsiderAndGo]

They look AMAZING!! 

[crbassassin]

looks hideous!

 

[JeePee]

Edited by JeePee, 09 July 2014 - 09:05.

[SB]

F1 is just a copycat !   

https://s2.bukalapak...es_OL_shop.jpeg

[Owen]

Looks great.

[SanDiegoGo]

The 18" wheels look great

 

 

my first thought; lotus are heading out west to find their fortune. it'll look fine when they put the horse at the front.

Edited by SanDiegoGo, 09 July 2014 - 09:10.

[angrysasha]

19 front, 20 rear, plus bigger rubber in the back than in the front. back to 2 meters track width and we can finally speak about good looking f1 cars again. i sound like a broken record, but i am more than convinced that this is the ONLY way to improve aesthetics of f1 cars. 

 

sorry, if some of you think the photos are ugly, its only because watching f1 cars on 13 inch wheels for a few decades has numbed your senses. 

[slideways]

Would love an open tyre and (alloy) brake war with consumer products.

[TF110]

"Ooh spinners" yeah, no. Those fell off years ago. Silly fact is you can get factory 18" wheels on cars like a Ford Focus. F1 running 13" is laughable. Wheels look nice, but tires arent wide enough, especially up front.

[Tourgott]

[angrysasha]

from a few months ago:

 

[Scotracer]

They look stupid.

[Gridfire]

On a sports car, like my old MR2 turbo (RIP!), I found the extra flex from larger tyre walls gave me some warning of the car's limit of grip. The standard 225/50/15 tyres allowed me, a total amateur, to trust the car and therefore go faster than when I replaced the stock rims with some larger ones (my avatar pic). The lower profile tyres were wider than the originals, but I'd have no warning at all about the limit and the car would go from cornering nicely to oversteering badly in an instant. Also the fairly rigid sportscar suspension was a lot less harsh over tiny bumps and thick road-paint with the original wheels, giving me more confidence over them.

 

I'm not sure if this translates to lightweight single-seater prototypes at all, but from my point of view the was only one actual advantage of larger rims - bigger and cooler brakes. If these changes are being made in F1 for purely aesthetic reasons, I am against it. What's next, giant plastic bumpers from Halfords?

[SPBHM]

the cars are a lot more compact but they want wheels bigger than lmp1!?

[Lazy]

Interesting post from some one who seems so determined to keep the sport in the stoneage.

[meddo]

IMO, they look great. But, it is a matter of an opinion.

[FPV GTHO]

19-20's won't work on the current 660mm high tyres. Maybe if they increase the height closer to 700mm.

[angrysasha]

modern sports cars such as the ferrari f12 have 740 mm rear tires... nothing out of the ordinary.

[peroa]

Don't like, 16" or 17" max.

[Longtimefan]

I personally think 18in rims look awful
Fine for a rally car, horrible on an F1 car.

Edited by Longtimefan, 09 July 2014 - 10:12.

[Disgrace]

I actually rather like those Lotus spinners. If anything, they bring attention to how small the car is.

[jstrains]

The car looks much lighter