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Racing Tires

Racing tires change greatly based on the style of race involved. For example, a formula 1 race would utilize slicks, while a stage rally race would go for a more rugged, off road style tire. Conditions also change the style of tire used, as any good pit crew can attest. Different elevations, temperature ranges, and even humidity levels can all change the type of tired that is optimal for a given race.

In fact track racing (formula or stock car) is usually suspended in the event of rain; and with good reason.  The racing tires, or slicks as they’re known, have no tread whatsoever on them. This means that even a little moisture on the racing surface can easily cause the cars to hydroplane, and losing control of your vehicle in the vicinity of 200 mph is never a good idea.

A rally race utilizes something much closer to a normal tire than race slicks. In a rally race, drivers are expected to drive their vehicle between different stages of the race on normal roads, so the vehicle has to be street legal. The legs or stages of the race itself take place on all kinds of surfaces, from ice to gravel to sand to dirt, even a paved race leg if they can get away with it. To handle all the types of terrain that could be thrown at it, a rally car’s racing tires must have an extremely good tread. Depending on the race, you may be allowed enough time to switch tires between stages, but some competitions require you to use the same kinds of parts from start to finish; only replacing things that break.

 

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