Michelins

[joseff]

I'm quite surprised noone actually discussed about the michelin tires on f1t!

I still don't get it... isn't 12" the max *overall* width of the tires and not the contact patch width?

[Beostar]

c) Each front dry-weather tyre, when new, must incorporate 4 grooves which are:
- arranged symmetrically about the centre of the tyre tread;
- at least 14mm wide at the contact surface and which taper uniformly to a minimum of 10mm at the lower surface;
- at least 2.5mm deep across the whole lower surface;
- 50mm (+/- 1.0mm) between centres.
Furthermore, the tread width of the front tyres must not exceed 270mm

Rule 77c says the treas is MAX 270 mm. + 4*14mm that would be the Maximum width of the tyre right? Or am I wrong on this one.

[Steven]

ah well... the fuss is apparently all about the front tyres...

these are restricted for NEW tyres with a maximal contact path of 270 mm and may not be wider than 355 mm at its widest point. Now the problem is that Michelin is just on that 355 mm limit, while Bridgestone decided to do with 325 mm.

All well, but now the FIA wants ALL tyres conform to this rule, as where the regulations clearly state NEW tyres only. You can imagine with such high forces, the Michelin tyres are at the end of a GP wider that 355mm, and most likely have a wider contact patch... (exactly the problem)

Anyway... I think the FIA is being hippocrit. If they want this rule to change, well change it then for the next season, but now... that is just to be a bother for the manufacturers.

[Steven]

I think... but I'm not sure here... that the maximal true contact patch is:
270 mm - 4*14 mm

I dare to think this, as the tyre width rules didn't change (as far as I know) when slicks were banned.

[Mini Bernie]

I don't know about anybody else here,
but if I was runnign Michelins I'd measure the wear rate, then plan my last pit stop to be late enough in the race to finnish with legal tires,
I'd expect to see long middle stints from Williams and McLaren at Monza.

all comments welcome,
Bernie

ps I think this kind of change in regulation should be left till next season.

[MOrenault]

I don't know about anybody else here,
but if I was runnign Michelins I'd measure the wear rate, then plan my last pit stop to be late enough in the race to finnish with legal tires,
I'd expect to see long middle stints from Williams and McLaren at Monza.

The FIA are planning to measure the tyres after each pit-stop, so that idea's out the window...

[Steven]

well Ferrari are irritating everybody with their "tip" about Michelin tyres (how the hell do they know that btw, isn't that spionage??) and the FIA is stupid enough to allow it all.
Just note it and change regulations for next year, because this "new interpretation" is nothing more than a plain regulation change.

[Monstrobolaxa]

Exactly what I think of it Tomba......they can't change the regs in the middle of "a game"....especially when they're fighting for the championship!

[Jazzman, Croatia]

I think Ferrari are bad loosers... they want to win one way or the other, legaly or not, on the track or out of it... loosers! And if FIA made a rule years ago for new tyres, I really don't see the reason for "different interpretations" with just three races to go. What could be next? Are the widths of all F1 cars legal? Or it was the case untill Hungary? Ufffff...

[Thupa]

There is also this issue about a comparable situation.

Michelins have been really smart creating a tyre perfectly legal for allot of races. Then someone noticed that the tyres changed when on track. Now when Ferrari have complained to FIA, they listened dead hard and rules changed.

Well, what about the flexibility of the aerodynamic parts then? Rules say no movable aerodynamics is allowed. The front, or was it rear-?, wing for example is tested by FIA by putting a 160 kg load hanging from the wing and it have to stand without flexing for a cerain amount.

OK, even the front camera shows the Ferraris front wing flex and also the rear wing in some cases. McLaren complained about a flexible floor Ferrari where using, also the diffusers. McLaren have complained to FIA atleast once with photograps as evidence. FIA claimed the reason why the diffusers changed was oscillations... then McLaren had to give evidence it wasn't oscillations...

Have ever Ferrari done anything that FIA have forbidden, banned or had the rules changing??? I don't think so.

[joseff]

Well it seems the new Michelins are still as good...

In all fairness, the FIA banned flexible wings back in 1999 after McLaren protested Ferrari's flexi-front wing.

But yes, changing the rules in the middle of the game is highly questionable. Why not earlier, 2 or 3 races into the series?

[Steven]

Have ever Ferrari done anything that FIA have forbidden, banned or had the rules changing??? I don't think so.

well euh, they were banned a couple of years ago when their bargeboards did not seem to be legal
The're far from saints...

[Beostar]

ow..
the barge boards were legal..
It was in the malasian and you can't have bodywork within ** (don't know the exact dimension) of the tyre. But what the malasian marchels did was project the barge board onto the ground an do the mesurments. But that GP ferrari were using a curved bargeboard. Resulting in an incorect projection of it causing a wrong mesurement.

If you watch the official FIA review its fully explained.

[Guest]

Oh hey maybe we can start a "Legal cheating" thread!

Can anyone start off with the Brabham fan car? My favorite

[Thupa]

I agree that changing the rules in the middle of the game is highly questionable. There should be just one more rule change, at least middle season: "New rules will not be introduced until the season is over"

Anyone agree?