2017 Tyres revealed

[Samraj_official]

The rear tires are so wide it almost looks silly.
Should be interesting seeing how much faster the cars are gonna be out of corners (hairpins like Montreal before back straight for example) with so much more rubber to deal with the power.

See this thing never ends, everyone asks for retro low slung cars with hugeee rear tires, and they give you, and in return you say they look silly

You should read more slowly Samraj. It makes you skip words when you hurry through sentences.

oops hurried on that one, any way are gonna see a sub minute lap at interlagos and sweeping high speed corners at suzuka gonna be a joy!!!!!

[DiogoBrand]

I wish they'd make the cars wider, with wider tyres, but no increase in downforce. Maybe only widen the RW because it will look even uglier than it already does on wider cars.
What's impressive is that the rule makers in F1 seem like they took almost 30 years to realize that increasing downforce and reducing mechanical grip will only reduce overtaking.

[piast9]

^^ That was my afterthought as well. I've just wondered where we would be with F1 if they didn't think in 97 or 98 (I can't remember the year exactly) that the grooved tyres is a way to go in F1.

[Steven]

Perhaps we can make a thread to see what people think are the biggest regulatory mistakes in the history of Formula One. That has some potential... anyone willing to start off?

I'd sure nominate those grooved tyres, along with the smaller cars that came in 1998 as well... to improve overtaking that was, because if would be so much easier when the cars took less space

Anyway, on topic... I see some of you suggesting a suspension redesign, but it's probably not much more than finetuning, and perhaps making a few bits stronger. I'm sure the engine guys are already wondering how much more torque they'll be able to deliver to the wheels compared to what they currently do in order to keep things "driveable"

[Shrieker]

I'd sure nominate those grooved tyres, along with the smaller cars that came in 1998 as well... to improve overtaking that was, because if would be so much easier when the cars took less space

Come ooonn... Admit it ! You didn't like it because it was bad for Jacques

[cooken]

While I'm all for an increase in relative mechanical grip, I think we also need to realize that these cars are already big and clumsy. After watching a motorcycle race the F1 cars just look way to big for the road (or the track isn't wide enough) and I worry about the impact of making them even wider. Cars may be able to follow but I think overtaking will be relegated to straights.

Imagine the amount of discarded rubber off the racing line with these!

[Formula Wrong]

While I'm all for an increase in relative mechanical grip, I think we also need to realize that these cars are already big and clumsy. After watching a motorcycle race the F1 cars just look way to big for the road (or the track isn't wide enough) and I worry about the impact of making them even wider. Cars may be able to follow but I think overtaking will be relegated to straights.

Imagine the amount of discarded rubber off the racing line with these!

As this article states:

In practice, tracks are often considerably wider than this, especially at key overtaking places. Bahrain’s grand prix circuit, for example, is up to 22 metres wide at points – enough to get 11 2m cars side-by-side (although they would all be touching). Even the new temporary street circuit at Sochi, used for the first time last year, is no narrower than 13 metres wide at any point.

Even in Monaco you could (theoretically) have at least 3 cars next to each other (as far as i can tell in the picture below, even 3 cars that are 2 meters wide):


I don't think we need to worry about the cars being "too big" for tracks. A Hummer H2 is 2 meters wide as well and still can drive on regular streets, even in a city!

[Samraj_official]

I don't think we need to worry about the cars being "too big" for tracks. A Hummer H2 is 2 meters wide as well and still can drive on regular streets, even in a city![/quote]

Lets see what happens in Baku

[Formula Wrong]

I don't think we need to worry about the cars being "too big" for tracks. A Hummer H2 is 2 meters wide as well and still can drive on regular streets, even in a city!

Lets see what happens in Baku

The narrowest part in Baku which I've heard about is 7.6 Meters. Still enough for 3 cars in theory though of course, there probably won't ever be more than 2 cars directly next to each other on such a circuit except at the start.

[DiogoBrand]

In my view it's silly to think that the wider cars will hinder overtaking. It's just an 11% increase in width, and it's not like F1 haven't raced cars even wider than this on tracks way more precarious than they race on now. From my perspective the increase in mechanical grip should outweigh the physical space limitations in regards to overtaking.
GT cars are more-or-less 2m wide and they can go side by side for several corners in a row, so yea, I don't think the increase in width will make overtaking more difficult.

What I find interesting is the front tyre width. Even when the rear tyres were as wide as the ones Pirelli introduced, I don't think the front tyres were ever as wide as what they showed. It would be interesting to get some numbers on that.

[krisfx]

While I'm all for an increase in relative mechanical grip, I think we also need to realize that these cars are already big and clumsy. After watching a motorcycle race the F1 cars just look way to big for the road (or the track isn't wide enough) and I worry about the impact of making them even wider. Cars may be able to follow but I think overtaking will be relegated to straights.

Imagine the amount of discarded rubber off the racing line with these!

My opinion is that the cars are now just too long, really.

[DiogoBrand]

I'm curious to what shape the cars will take with the increased width. With the 20cm increase in body width, will they go for even more pronounced sidepod undercuts, lower and wider sidepods, or will the sidepods shape remain pretty much the same with just a wider floor around it.

[ChrisDanger]

I don't think we need to worry about the cars being "too big" for tracks. A Hummer H2 is 2 meters wide as well and still can drive on regular streets, even in a city!

Lets see what happens in Baku

The narrowest part in Baku which I've heard about is 7.6 Meters. Still enough for 3 cars in theory though of course, there probably won't ever be more than 2 cars directly next to each other on such a circuit except at the start.

That's true for most F1 races.

[SectorOne]

In my view it's silly to think that the wider cars will hinder overtaking. It's just an 11% increase in width,

Well one thing´s for sure, the potential overtaking gaps have gotten smaller.
But overtaking problems have never really been about the cars width..

[NL_Fer]

I just hope they will be durable. No rubber scraps outside the racing line after 1/3 race, no overheating after a few laps of close following. Be able to exit the corner at full throttle and really work those rears.