So, have your inquisitive mind ever wondered what the inside of an F1 tire looks like? The Formula 1 race car is a mesmerizing machine that is synonymous with true power. At the very first glance, what stands out are the tires of an F1 race car. These tires are responsible for providing contact with the track that enables the transfer of power from the engine to the wheels.
Scott Mansell from the YouTube channel, Driver 61, also wanted to find out what the F1 tire is made of and cut one in half. The results are quite interesting, and that is why we have decided to share them with you. Scott Mansell was able to procure a worn Pirelli tire that was taken off an F1 race car. He made use of a handheld circular saw for splitting the tire into two pieces and revealing the inner materials that are usually not seen on the TV. The tire can be broken down into three sections; the bead where it makes contact with the wheel, the contact patch, and the sidewall.
The bead is the thickets and the least flexible section. It makes use of bands of steel that are embedded into the rubber for the sake of gripping itself to the wheel. The rubber also features ridges that are molded into it, thus helping it to grip the wheel in scenarios where friction is high. This is done to make sure that the tire doesn’t slip and spin on the mounting point. The sidewall is a lot thinner and crafted from rubber only. It has been created to flex under high loads. Coming to the contact patch, it is the part that actually comes in contact with the road. That is why it has to be super-tough to be able to handle the impacts yet be a bit flexible. It features thin steel bands throughout its body.
You can check out the video where Mansell explains it all – while he is getting the rubber all over his clothes and breathing the toxic tire smoke – below!
