Jersey Tom wrote:vonk wrote:Jersey Tom wrote:Really depends on what you mean by the 'dark area' I guess, and when you're looking at it.
I'd say it's true that the middle of the crown area is going to be very vertically compliant.. but that's kind of a separate issue.
It happens mostly in early Friday practice, and most cars show it distinctly. Then, after some quick pit stops, they loose it. The TV commentators called it graining. I got the impression that teams at first run a few aggressive laps at high tire pressure (high crowning) to check their camber settings for the “new” track that day. As you know, each track puts a car through a unique “roll program” with the attendant camber changes, also depending on ambient conditions. Once they’re happy, they reduce pressure again for best contact patch.
Eh.. not following you on this.
TV announcers generally don't know what they're on about.. sometimes the drivers don't either.. particularly when it comes to graining. I think Kubica even had been talking about "graining" a tire and then having to "clean it off." I've never seen a truly grained race tire that you could get back to normal by just driving on it. Once it's torn up, it's torn up. Worms are a different story.
+1 that is my undertstanding of graining and pickup
that is also the reason why testing alone on a track can be very misleading..you just don´t have those masses of rubber lyingaround waiting to stick to your nice fresh rubber..with semi professional drivers you would not believe just how much a tyre can grow over a stint..
graining is a form of excessive wear and it does not really heal even when conditions improve.
ref tyre temps ..i don´t get the point there..where do you drive? of course you are not interested in measuring up the pickup ...but as long as your driver is
diving into the pits bringing with him a band of debris ,I don´t think he has understood that he needs to push before it even makes sense to take a reading of tire temps.. I´d just wave him out again and tell him to try harder.