Allison: 2022 tyre will slow down F1 cars
Jun.5 - James Allison says the 18-inch rims for 2022 means that Formula 1 is switching to a "worse tyre" that is heavier and slower.
Mercedes' technical boss noted the current tyre specifications have remained similar for "decades", and surmised that the new rule is essentially for the aesthetic effect and road car relevance.
"This sort of balloon-type tyre that you see on our cars today is a really good solution for going quickly," he said.
"The new tyres are going to be heavier, lower grip and worse for ride," Allison added. "They're going to slow the cars down by somewhere between one and two seconds, somewhere around that."
He said the strongest argument for the scrapping of the current tyres is because low-profile rims are more popular among a certain demographic.
"I guess if you are a 13-year-old boy or a fan of 'Fast and Furious' you'd like how they look," said Allison.
"In road cars, performance is not at such a premium, economics are much more important, and so aligning our world better with the road car means it's probably more relevant.
"It's also important because it means that tyre manufacturers are more inherently interested in being part of Formula 1, and that is important."
But another obvious reason for Mercedes' qualms about the change is that the stiffer low-profile tyres are easier for the aerodynamicists and designers to work with.
"So if you were the FIA and FOM and wanting the grid to compress up, having tyres that don't interfere so much with the aero is a good thing," said Allison.
"But it's a big opportunity for us to see whether we can actually stretch our heels instead. I guess time will tell whether that plays out or not."
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Mr. Allison, that "demographic" is exactly the one that wii determine the future of F1. The number of we old sots with Rolex watches is dwindling. If the kids want low profile tires to support our sport, give 'em the friggin' tires.
Seems that Mr. Allison's comments and opinions are totally self-serving and not at all in the best interest of Formula 1 and racing in general. If any impartial race fan would actually think about it, why in the world do we need F1 cars to go faster and faster each year? Remember the 1950s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s. Slower cornering, and better racing. This is a very expensive and non-productive way to lose race fans and sponsors, and eliminate the lower budget teams, ...and also discourage any potential future startup teams and investment minded entrepreneurs.
Just look at what has already happened to many of our beloved race tracks and corners. Eau Rouge, 130R, Maggotts-Becketts, etc. ...now all flat out. Gone! Poof! These turns are now just plain vanilla, boring straightaways. And some of our favorite race tracks are rapidly being eliminated due to some very expensive, but necessary, safety modifications to compensate for F1's excessive cornering speeds.
Do we really need tire companies creating stickier and stickier tires (not at all necessary when a single tire company has a virtual monopoly, with no other competing companies)? Why not put real flat bottoms on these cars to slow them down in corners which would actually have the benefit of faster, safer straight line speeds that some race fans would surely enjoy?
Wake up F1 bureaucrats! Do the right thing. This is your future, ...and ours!
They do look better, and the youngsters have no idea what a Rolex is (they prefer Rip Curl, i own both) and they don't watch F1.
Hign end sports cars are all low profile, look great and are only affordable to the old Rolex crowd...
The 18s will be faster in a few years after the car designers figure out how to build a proper suspension for them, and the cars will hug the ground better.
proszę was ludzie nie dosyć że jest covid 19 to jeszcze jest coś takiego że zespół Renaulr w F1 może grozić odejściem co poskutkuje tym że Estaben Ocon straci posade w zespole a w zespole nie racing point a od przyszłego roku Aston Martin Racing będzie tak że nie wiem może być tak że będzie nadal Sergio Perez z Meksyku i Lance Stroll z Kanady!
Stay with 13 inch wheels and same size tires as now