Slimmer front tyres 2010

[WhiteBlue]

I will bet my old tennis shoe that the 2010 lap time decrease compared to 2009 has nothing to do with the tyres. Its the increased downforce.

[DaveW]

I will bet my old tennis shoe that the 2010 lap time decrease compared to 2009 has nothing to do with the tyres. Its the increased downforce.

I can't disagree, WB, but would add ... &/or reduced drag, better track temperatures, longer wheelbase, increased weight(?), better compounds, better driver, etc. However, I didn't claim the improvement was caused by the tyres, just that the narrower front tyres don't appear to have been the disaster (so far) that some had predicted.

[raymondu999]

Hey all. If they had increased the size of the rear tyres rather than decreased the front tyre, would it actually have helped overtaking a bit? I mean it would add extra mechanical grip...

[Giblet]

More rubber = harder to brake loose the rear.

I think it might have done the opposite.

[mx_tifoso]

So while the tyre was slimmed down was the wheel kept the same dimension? The 2010 wheels always look like they're the wrong size since they bulge out. I would figure that they would design new wheels to match the tyres.

[747heavy]

gauging by the Bridgestone drawing, I seems they use slightly narrower rims as well, but not to the same degree, as the thread width of the tyre reduced.