Bridgestone marks F1 tires with reflective paint

Darius Chang | Sep 19, 2008

One of the most important components on a F1 racing car are the tires. They form the first, and only, point of contact with the road, and the wrong kind of wheels may mean the difference between basking in glory or recovering in a hospital.

For the first time, tire-maker Bridgestone will be marking the F1 car wheels made from super-soft and extremely wet compounds with a special reflective paint for the upcoming Singapore F1 night race. It does not serve any functional purpose other than to inform specators on the type of tires in use during the race.

In previous competitions, a normal white non-reflective paint was used instead. Other types of dry and wet weather versions do not have the white marking.

The super-soft tires are used in dry weather to provide more grip, but do not last as long as hard or medium compound versions. From previous race experience, many drivers start with hard wheels but switch to soft models in the last few laps for that last push to the finish. The reason most cars do not begin with the soft tires is not due to cost, but to minimize the number of pit-stops required. Extreme-wet compounds are used only in severe weather or hard rains as they have more threads which compromise speed but wick water faster.

As an aside, Bridgestone's track assesments are not done by eye, but with a laser device that scans the road to determine the best tires for that particular situation.

Via Formula 1 Web site

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