Rims on 2012 F1 cars

[clipsy1H]

who delivers rims for Mercedes? any BRAND???

[veYda25]

who delivers rims for Mercedes? any BRAND???

rims are made from BBS! forged magnesium.

[clipsy1H]

who delivers rims for Mercedes? any BRAND???

rims are made from BBS! forged magnesium.

nice ferrari also BBS i think but redbull rims are so cool.

[stefan_]

Ferrari switched to OZ this year.

[clipsy1H]

Ferrari switched to OZ this year.

OZ>BBS????? how important are rims? can anybady post a list with all teams and rims?

[ivand911]

OZ are Italian company. I guess the weight is the important factor for the rims. And there isn't big difference between F1 rims. RBR and Lotus also use OZ. McLaren use Enkei. MGP use BBS.

[kthxbai]

The construction of rims has been changed since last years, however it is still BBS. Ferrari used simillar construction 2 last years maybe they were designed specially for them? Its construction, I mean those additional external metal circles, helps to further cool brakes, isn't it?

[AnthonyG]

OZ are Italian company. I guess the weight is the important factor for the rims. And there isn't big difference between F1 rims. RBR and Lotus also use OZ. McLaren use Enkei. MGP use BBS.

Would the weight really be that important?
Now the weight ballance is fixed and so is the min weight.

Seeing that the rims are quite low-placed (certainly front) and that the tyre has alot of give, am I right to suggest that you could lower the center of gravety via the rims or at least that having the lowest weight rims isn't important?

And also, don't heavier front wheels give better change of direction? Since you turn them thus making the forces point where you want and not tending them to continue straight. (the forces on whatever weight you have in the wheels that you don't have on the chassis)

(and yes, I'm no engineer )

[dren]

OZ are Italian company. I guess the weight is the important factor for the rims. And there isn't big difference between F1 rims. RBR and Lotus also use OZ. McLaren use Enkei. MGP use BBS.

Would the weight really be that important?
Now the weight ballance is fixed and so is the min weight.

Seeing that the rims are quite low-placed (certainly front) and that the tyre has alot of give, am I right to suggest that you could lower the center of gravety via the rims or at least that having the lowest weight rims isn't important?

And also, don't heavier front wheels give better change of direction? Since you turn them thus making the forces point where you want and not tending them to continue straight. (the forces on whatever weight you have in the wheels that you don't have on the chassis)

(and yes, I'm no engineer )

You want as low of an unsprung weight as possible. The lighter the wheels the better. It also helps with acceleration, less mass to spin.

[strad]

Yep,,,what he said...The less unsprung weight the more agile the car will feel...Lighter on it's feet so to speak.

[PlatinumZealot]

Aren't the wheels a minium wieght for safety? Surely, because next thing you know teams start using carbon fibre rims.

[PhillipM]

Possibly, but then all you'd do is concentrate on making the outer edge as light as possible compared to the inner instead.

[strad]

Wheel dimensions and geometry must comply with the following specifications :
- the minimum wheel thickness is 3.0mm ;
- the minimum bead thickness is 4.0mm (measured from hump to outer edge of the lip) ;
- the ETRTO standard bead profile is prescribed ;
- the tyre mounting widths are 12” (304.8mm +/-0.5mm) front; 13.7” (348.0mm +/-0.5mm) rear ;
- the wheel lip thickness is 9mm (+/-1mm) ;
- the outer lip diameter is 358mm (+/-1mm) ;
- a lip recess of maximum 1.0mm depth between a radius of 165mm and a radius of 173mm from
wheel axis is permitted (for wheel branding, logo, part number, etc) ;
- with the exception of the wheel lip, only a single turned profile with a maximum thickness of 8mm is
allowed radially outboard of the exclusion zones specified in Article 12.4.5 ;
- the design of the wheel must meet the general requirements of the tyre supplier for the mounting
and dismounting of tyres including allowance for sensors and valves ;
- the wheel design cannot be handed between left and right designs.
12.4.5 No wheel material is permitted in the following exclusion zones :
- A concentric cylinder of diameter 305mm and length 115mm positioned with its inner face lying in
the same plane as the inboard face of the front wheel ;
- A concentric cylinder of diameter 305mm and length 25mm positioned with its outer face lying in the
same plane as the outboard face of the front wheel ;
- A concentric cylinder of diameter 305mm and length 100mm positioned with its inner face lying in
the same plane as the inboard face of the rear wheel ;
- A concentric cylinder of diameter 305mm and length 30mm positioned with its outer face lying in the
same plane as the outboard face of the rear wheel.
12.4.6 When viewed perpendicular to the plane formed by the outer face of the wheel and between the diameters
of 120mm and 270mm the wheel may have an area of no greater than 24,000mm2.

[ivand911]

I think which rims to have is more business decision than performance one. As we see the rules are pretty strict. If one rim manufacturer was much better, they all would use it.

[clipsy1H]

The construction of rims has been changed since last years, however it is still BBS. Ferrari used simillar construction 2 last years maybe they were designed specially for them? Its construction, I mean those additional external metal circles, helps to further cool brakes, isn't it?

so BBS send random rims to Mercedes and OZ make specially design for Ferrari and Red Bull ??

Mercedes rims are so hmmm unattractive?