Bridgestone Explains Why Tyre Size Matters

28 May 2009

As far as racing tyres are concerned, size does matter, particularly for this Formula One
season, which has seen the return of slicks after an 11-seasons absence. The removal of the
grooves which were previously on the tread area means that the proportional size of the rear
tyres contact patch has changed relative to the fronts.

There are many differences between a slick and a grooved tyre, but the change of the
proportional tread area in contact with the road is a very important aspect of the performance
potential, explains Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestones director of motorsport tyre
development. This year we are hearing a lot of talk about weight distribution and the balance
of the cars and this is related to the big changes to the regulations for the cars and the tyres
for 2009.

The latest aerodynamic regulations mean a lower and wider front wing, but a taller and
narrower rear wing. This means the proportion of aerodynamic grip - the grip provided by the
downforce pushing the car down onto the road - has moved towards the front of the car.

In addition to this, there is more mechanical grip - grip provided by the tyres interacting with
the road surface - than before at the front of the car, due to the proportionally bigger contact
patch of the front tyre, so the latest cars have a lot more grip on the front than previously.

The additional grip at the front means that the latest cars work their rear tyres harder than
before.

We can certainly say that the current generation car has an oversteer tendency, where the
rear of the car doesnt have as much grip as the front, and this tendency is a focus for teams
in their car set-ups and designs, explains Hamashima.

An oversteering car is generally one that is good at turning in to corners, but one where the
rear of the car has trouble following the path of the front. In American terminology, the car is
loose, meaning the rear slides around. This is often fun to watch, and can result in the cars
being spun, but its not necessarily the fastest way around a race track. So, if theres more
grip at the front than there is at the rear, surely its time for more grip at the rear?

Of course, we could make more grip for the rear tyres through different rubber compounds or
construction or wider tyres. However, we cant make use of different rubber and wider tyres,
because of the regulations. When we make use of different construction, however it is the
front tyre which has too much grip rather than the rear tyres not having enough, explains
Hamashima.

When we moved to grooved tyres for the 1998 season, the opposite was the problem, as the
front tyres did not have enough grip. To counter this we made a taller and wider front tyre.
When the rules were changed to allow slicks back we recommended that the tyre sizes were
changed back to the sizes before grooves came in - with smaller front tyres - however the
teams car designs were already very far advanced for the same size tyres as used with the
grooved tyres.

The size of the front tyre has a particular impact on a Formula One cars aerodynamics. The
front tyres present a large surface cross section to the airflow and cause a lot of drag, so a big
factor in the design of the cars bodywork and wings is trying to compensate for this.

For the future, Bridgestone has already tested a narrower front tyre and is working with the
FIA and the teams regarding any potential change for the future.

For Bridgestone we can make front tyres of the current size, or of a narrower width, so it is
not a problem for us once a decision is made about the tyre size, explains Hamashima. The
size is set in the regulations, so it is not a change we would make in isolation, it is something
that if it happens it will be because there have been consultations between us, the FIA and
also the teams.
Bridgestone tested a smaller front tyre in Jerez in Spain back in March.

The test in March, where eight teams were present, was useful for evaluating a potential new
front tyre size by six teams, explains Hamashima. We went narrower on width, but based on
what we learnt from running that tyre we would probably want to go a bit narrower still. For
now, however, we have the excitement of the 2009 season.

Differing Driver Styles - The Truth is in the Tyre

30 Jul 2008

Bridgestone on how tyres tell the tale of individual style

Formula One racing is a test of skill and talent at many levels, but the person who receives
the greatest amount of attention is the man behind the wheel; the driver. Threading a Formula
One car through the twists and turns that make up a race circuit is an art requiring great skill.
Its also an activity where there is no one best way to go about it.

Driving style is something that differentiates drivers. Just as designers can produce two very
different looking cars which can be lapped within hundredths of a second of each other, so too
can drivers in the same vehicle practice the art of driving in a very different manner, yet
achieve a very similar lap time.

Working with all of the teams and every driver in Formula One means that tyre suppliers
Bridgestone see many different driving styles - and the differences can be detected from how
the driver uses his tyres.

As all Formula One cars and drivers use Bridgestone tyres we get a very good insight into the
differences between the 20 drivers who compete at motorsports pinnacle, explains Hirohide
Hamashima, Bridgestones Director of Motorsport Tyre Development.

Driving style makes a big difference. For instance, a drivers input from mid corner to exit is
often quite illustrative of how tyres are being used. If there is one progressive steering input
from the corner apex to the exit, this will usually not cause as much tyre wear as a style that
involves many changes.

Of course, a driver has a big say in how a car handles as drivers work with their engineers to
create a set-up which is both fast, and suits their driving style.

Every driver has their own preference for how they prefer their car set-up, and set-up
includes aspects like camber, toe-in, and roll stiffness amongst others, and these all have an
influence on how our tyres perform and react to the road, explains Hamashima.

In simple terms we hear of drivers who prefer a car that tends towards understeer or a driver
who prefers a car that oversteers. On a basic level, the first car will wear the front tyres more
than the second one, where the rear tyres get more use.

Another area where driving style has an impact on tyre performance is in terms of warm-up. A
driver who is more aggressive with his tyres will get them to their best operating temperature
quicker than one who is not so aggressive.

Warm-up is an interesting area, says Hamashima. Being aggressive will get heat into the
tyres quickly, but if a driver is too aggressive he will wear his tyres quicker than a driver who
is more sympathetic. Aggressive drivers also need to know how to control their cars in
situations of lower levels of tyre grip.

At every Grand Prix, Bridgestone has two compounds of their dry grooved Potenza Formula
One tyres, as well as the wet and extreme wet tyres. Both of the dry compounds have to be
used, and whilst sometimes it is clear which is the favoured compound at a particular track,
sometimes the choice is not so clear cut.
Compound choice is certainly related to a drivers style and personal preference, says
Hamashima, and we have seen occasions where the softer compound provides the best
solution for certain drivers, but the harder compound is more constant in its behaviour, so a
driver loses less time due to unexpected responses.

As well as compound choice, there is also the factor of how much air you put in the tyres.
Tyre pressure is also another area where driver preference plays a good part, and pressure
has a big influence on how a tyre performs, explains Hamashima.

We issue a safe range of pressures for our tyres and the teams must keep within this range,
but there is still good scope for drivers to dial-in to get their preferred response. In basic terms
a higher pressure within the safe limits we give will provide more stability, whilst a lower
pressure means the tyre heats up slower, but it also degrades less, and is less sensitive to
bumps.

Another aspect which can be seen as part of a drivers signature when behind the wheel is
where they position the car on the track.

The actual line a driver takes into a corner or a sequence of corners also plays a part, says
Hamashima. However, in most cases in modern Formula One there is only one main line,
particularly because of the marbles and dirt off line, although there are rare exceptions, and
of course variations around the basic racing line.

Its not an easy job being a driver, and the difficulties of getting the car to do exactly what
you want it to do on track are compounded by having very expensive electronic devices
scrutinising your every move.

Where once a drivers word that, for instance, I was taking that corner flat, would be taken
more or less by his engineers, now the telemetry will show just how fast, with how much
throttle and how much steering angle a driver is using.

Feedback from the engineers to the teams technical boffins and the drivers themselves is
useful data in the pursuit of a fast lap and technical and personal advancement.

But, despite all the data available, drivers do still like to have their cars set up in different
ways. Sometimes its the confidence a particular set-up produces in the driver and the
consistent performance that it allows the car to give the driver that offers the fastest solution
- rather than a set-up which on the computer simulation may supposedly be quicker.

Drivers are contesting the drivers championship and all drivers are human beings with their
own wants and needs from their car, explains Hamashima. Drivers also need to harness
their competitive streak correctly to make the best of their equipment. This is part of the
interest in Formula One and Bridgestone is happy to work with so many top drivers and learn
from all the different driving styles.
Roll with It - Spotlight on Formula One Wheels
17 Dec 2009

Formula One racing is a difficult beast to master, with team, car and driver all striving in
unison to deliver the best possible performance. Theres no doubt that collectively the
package is greater than the sum of its parts, but if were dealing in cliches, then its important
to remember that winning is in the detail, and in F1 racing there is nothing more important
than details.

The ultimate representation of this is the car itself. From nose to tail, the design of a car
embodies a teams pursuit of perfection. Any element, however small, can make or break a
race, even a season, and within every car, every part has been honed (and honed some more)
to ensure it wont let the team down.

Easy to overlook, and often overshadowed by those much-talked-about tyres that surround
them, wheels are an interesting case in point. An insignificant, homogenous chunk of metal
that all teams run they are not. In fact, the rivalry between the sports wheel manufacturers is
just as fierce as that between engine suppliers and the work that goes into a teams wheels
easily rivals that for any other component.

The FIAs regulations for wheels are surprisingly brief. Their number is fixed at four (remember
Tyrrells six-wheeled P34 from 1976?) and they must be made of one homogenous metallic
material. Their width, when fitted with Bridgestone tyres, must lie between 305 and 355mm
at the front and between 365 and 380mm at the rear, while complete wheel diameter must
not exceed 660mm when fitted with dry-weather tyres, or 670mm when fitted with wet-
weather tyres. From there on in it is largely left to the teams - and their wheel partners - to
design and manufacture the best on the grid.

Needless to say this relative flexibility in the rules, and the very real performance advantage
to be gained, has led to some long-lasting partnerships between team and supplier. Eight-
time constructors world champions McLaren have worked with Enkei for over ten years. One
of the largest OEM (original equipment manufacturer) wheel suppliers in the world, the
Japanese company produce more than 10 million wheels a year across every continent. For
McLaren, deciding on - and sticking with - Enkei was a clear-cut decision.

There is no doubt that Enkei is an extremely knowledgeable and competent company on all
aspects of wheel design and manufacturing, says senior McLaren design team member, Luca
Furbatto. Enkei's desire to perfect their products over the years, enhancing performance and
quality at every opportunity, is aligned with McLaren's vision and values.

That partnership starts on paper at Enkeis base in Japan. After McLaren have specified design
targets, including maximum weight, hub design, stiffness and installation requirements, a
team at Enkei get to work, creating a number of ideas before showing McLaren its final
proposals, typically numbering around 20.

In wheel design, the balance between strength and weight is absolutely critical. Too heavy
and the car will lose performance, too weak and there is a risk of failure. Its a real tightrope
walk, and to gauge it correctly Enkei are reliant on simulated circuit data supplied by McLaren.
With that data and using a process called finite element analysis, Enkei - after a lot of
number crunching - are capable of predicting the durability of a component on each track on
the calendar.

Interestingly, although the wheel is the only part of an F1 car in contact with the tyre, there is
no direct design involvement from Formula One racings official tyre supplier, Bridgestone.
However, with Bridgestone following the ETRTO (European Tyre and Rim Technical
Organisation) specifications, which define several of the wheels key features like lip profiles
and the recesses for tyre mounting and dismounting, there is no real need of any outside
input, apart from, of course, McLarens.

And every year the McLaren-Enkei partnership strives to think up new ways to improve the
technology and give the British team a competitive advantage over their rivals. Evolving the
design is a constant aim for both parties, and like everything in F1 racing, is a very in-depth
process. To put it into context, five months ahead of the 2010's first race, Enkei and McLaren
had already formalised the season's wheel design and specification ready for production at
Enkeis factory.

The wheel design changes every season as we always want to perfect and optimise the final
product, explains Furbatto. We review the production cycle regularly and we're keen to
implement new features all the time, from enhancing tyre-fitting to a lighter paint finish, from
more elaborate machining detail to the aerodynamic interaction between rims and car
aerodynamics.

Moreover, there are aspects related to the fitting speed of tyres during pit stops that are very
important to the overall outcome of the race. There are also aspects related to managing the
differences in shapes and weights of different tyre specifications (for example, wet tyres have
a different weight compared with dry) during an event that require a degree of attention in
order to keep the car legal at all times.

The partnership must also respond to any regulation changes that come into force from
season to season. For 2010, when wheel designs must be homologated prior to the start of
the season, those regulations are set to be tightened by the FIA. But like any good F1
engineer, when opportunities are reduced in one area, Enkei look to maximise those
elsewhere within their design.

As a wheel manufacturer, we enjoy the freedom of being able to improve and update our
products for each new season, explains Takeyoshi Terada, executive officer of Enkeis
marketing department. For 2010, however, new FIA regulations - such as prescribing
minimum rim thickness in several areas - means there is less freedom available now. That
simply means weve assigned our efforts to different areas. The wheel spokes and hubs are
less regulated, and we are free to develop more intensively in those areas.

Next years cars will also have narrower front tyres, and will weigh more at the start of a
Grand Prix due to a ban on refuelling. This, combined with new spending constraints, has
made for interesting times in McLaren's and Enkei's design departments.

In terms of differences for next season we expect large changes in 2010 because of
constraints on costs, smaller front tyre sizes (12 inches instead of 12.75) and heavier cars,
says Furbatto. Due to the financial restrictions imposed by the recession and by FIA/FOTA,
the challenge on wheel design will move towards less expensive wheels or more durable
wheels with, for example, a life-span of more than 5,000km."

With so much change from one season to another, its no surprise that over the last decade
wheel design and manufacture has come on in leaps and bounds, with a constantly evolving
approach making for real gains on track. Ten years ago wheels weighed four kilos, whereas
this season they were 3.6. Contemporary designs are also considered over 20 percent more
efficient than those of the late 1990s.

There have been major steps forward in manufacturing techniques. Whereas before the
magnesium used to make the wheel would be cast, now it is forged in the Enkei factory under
a massive 9,000-ton press. Turned to create the basic shape and profile, the wheel is then
milled using a five-axis machine to create the spokes. Ten years ago two-axis machinery was
typically used, but this modern five-axis jig allows Enkei to achieve Formula One levels of
quality and consistency. Its an intense process, but in reality the companys work has only
just begun.

We also machine the hub and additional holes for the tyre valve and pressure sensors,
explains Terada. Once the basic wheel is completed, it is thoroughly inspected and
undergoes a series of non-destructive checks before being degreased, painted, lacquered and
re-inspected for appearance and paint finish. Finally, each wheel is boxed individually and
sent to McLaren.

Its a big shipment. Over the course of this years 17-race calendar McLaren used around 350
wheels. On a race weekend each driver can use up to 21 sets of tyres between dry tyres, wet
tyres and extreme wet tyres (or 84 wheels) so we are typically bringing 180 wheels to each
event altogether, says Furbatto. We tend to use new wheels for races but inevitably, as the
season progresses, we also begin to use low-mileage wheels for some races. We also need
wheels for aero tests, demo runs and off-season testing, so the logistical problems of shipping
wheels around the world whilst maintaining a sensible stock are not easy to solve."

Although Enkei do not send representatives to each race - McLaren look after the wheels at
the track - the Japanese companys involvement job does not end when the season gets
underway. Enkei offer technical support when needed and wheel refurbishments throughout
the year. And, critically, on the rare occasions when things go wrong Enkei investigate.

Despite the lengthy design and testing processes, wheel reliability is never 100 percent
watertight. According to Furbatto the theoretical lifespan for Enkeis wheels is approximately
3,000km. While its very rare for pounding over kerbs or minor off-track moments to cause
issues, light collisions, stones scoring the rim and accidents all take their toll, and in practice
the average lifespan is more like 2,500km.

To ensure optimum reliability, McLaren regularly carry out non-destructive tests on the
wheels. But even with all this effort, its hard to guard against the unexpected and so wheel
failures can - and do - happen. For McLaren, the most recent came at the 2008 Spanish Grand
Prix, when driver Heikki Kovalainen suffered a high-speed crash linked to a manufacturing
fault on his cars left-front wheel.

That accident was caused by a set of unfortunate circumstances - an undetectable finish had
been incorrectly applied to the surface of the wheel, causing the wheel to suffer a loss of
preload at racing speeds, explains Terada. As a result, the wheel loosened and started
rubbing against the brake duct, which led to the sudden loss of tyre pressure and Heikkis
accident. It wasnt easy to recreate that exact set of circumstances in the laboratory, but once
we understood all the issues, we were able to further tighten our inspection procedure.

Despite Enkeis high level of Formula One involvement, it forms only a small part of their
business - street wheels are their real bread and butter. But as with all things in Formula One
racing, theres an element of transfer between the track and the road that in the end helps
everyone, in terms of both form and function.

F1 wheels are certainly on the edge compared to larger runs of production wheels or
lightweight after-market replacements, concludes Terada. From working in motorsport,
weve learnt how to push the design of our road car wheels, making them lighter and more
efficient - qualities that improve both fuel efficiency and ride quality. And while function is
always the most important aspect in any motorsport, stylistically, we aim to create designs
that will have an effect on after-market wheel sales.