Why are low profile tyres not used on racing cars?

[mzee]

Low profile tyres are supposed to add to traction and stability, at the expense of road noise, comfort, and vulnerability to stones etc none of which are a consideration on the race track.

So my question is, why are low profile tyres not used on F1 racing cars?

[plod]

This is my guess they act as part of the suspension, giving a lot more give hitting the corners. More strength with side load forces

[dugimodo]

Interesting question, no Idea but bear in mind they are nothing at all like road tyres. The are made form totally different compounds, designed to last much shorter amount of time, are filled with a nitrogen mix instead of air, and are subject to the rules of F1 which restrict the design to promote fairness. Maybe it's something to do with the softer compound, a road tyre has a lot less flex in it I'd guess.

OT;
How many people with low profile tyres really buy them for their handling properties I suspect it's more about image a lot of the time. I see these lowered cars on their super low profile tyres and giant rims and I shake my head, yeah some of them do look cool but I'd rather be able to get into the driveway without scraping the bottom of the car myself or hit a stone without destroying the RIM

[mzee]

What really gets me is when I see a Ute designed to carry a load fitted with low profile tyres on alloy rims. Even worse, off road vehicles fitted with them.

[psycik]

And since they mostly imported they shred like butter on our hard chip roads.

[Cato]

Low profile tyres are supposed to add to traction and stability, at the expense of road noise, comfort, and vulnerability to stones etc none of which are a consideration on the race track.

So my question is, why are low profile tyres not used on F1 racing cars?

You can't lump F1 in with with categories.

F1 rules are pathetic. Everything these days is about creating the show. Perelli have a mandate from FOM to create a tyres with horrendous wear so we see "racing".
There are many advantages to low profile tyres but it also means bigger, better brakes, and that's not what the evil little man wants. That's why they stick to 13".
It has very little to do with being a sunspension has very little to do with it, TBH.

Other racing series have low profile tyres, look at Le Mans, V8s, even the WRC run much lower profile.

What really gets me is when I see a Ute designed to carry a load fitted with low profile tyres on alloy rims. Even worse, off road vehicles fitted with them.

The thing is, very few people take their cars off road. Those who does it seriously, will obviously have the right rims and tyres. And even then I know many run oversized 255s on their Cruisers, because they look sexy. No vanity lost here.


Mate of mine has a crossover "SUV" which cost him over 80k because it is marketed as an offroader he likes to talk crap about how wonderful it is.

It couldn't go up a slight grassy incline because of the wonderful asymetric highway tread, fancy electrics didn't do him any good either. Modern SUVs are really just designed for soccer moms. It's all about looks - fashion if you will.

[Metla]

What really gets me is when I see a Ute designed to carry a load fitted with low profile tyres on alloy rims. Even worse, off road vehicles fitted with them.

They have to be fit for purpose, And there are plenty available specially to be fitted to utes and work wagons.

When I suggested to the local tire man he fit some non-weight rated mags to my Hilux to save a few dollars he promptly told me to eff off.

Also worth noting that once you go to the extreme low-profile tires you start going slower, To go fast you need a sidewall with some flex.

[KenESmith]

"Modern SUVs are really just designed for soccer moms. It's all about looks - fashion if you will. "

A large number of Modern SUVs are just for Posers-
A remark I find that always elicits a hostile reaction from the Posers, who cannot tell you when the last time they went off rode or the next time that they will, because the nearest they get to going off road is if they park on the front lawn. The only other non posing justification for owning an SUV is if one need to tow something seriously heavy, or launch a boat.
The latest RAV 4 recognises the Posers, because it's max tow limit both unbraked and braked is a massive 550KGs - to put this in perspective a Mitsubishi Lancer can tow 1000KG Braked with a 75KG towball down load, ie 450KG more than a Toyota RAV 4 4WD.

How many posers have Toyota RAV 4s?

[Metla]

Where do people get off thinking anyone else has to justify their choice of purchase lest they be judged a poser? Having said that I'm pretty sure those "justification convos" are something that happens in the imaginations of the weak.

Pathetic, People can buy whatever appeals to them, Those that have problems with that need to ask themselves where that's coming from.

[plod]

"Modern SUVs are really just designed for soccer moms. It's all about looks - fashion if you will. "

A large number of Modern SUVs are just for Posers-
A remark I find that always elicits a hostile reaction from the Posers, who cannot tell you when the last time they went off rode or the next time that they will, because the nearest they get to going off road is if they park on the front lawn. The only other non posing justification for owning an SUV is if one need to tow something seriously heavy, or launch a boat.
The latest RAV 4 recognises the Posers, because it's max tow limit both unbraked and braked is a massive 550KGs - to put this in perspective a Mitsubishi Lancer can tow 1000KG Braked with a 75KG towball down load, ie 450KG more than a Toyota RAV 4 4WD.

How many posers have Toyota RAV 4s?

I see companies are releasing a lot of these in 2wd versions. Why pay for something you not going to use