Why Do F1 Cars Have Such Smooth Tires?

Formula 1 cars have tires that look completely different from the ones you see on public roads — they're a lot wider and have no treads. It seems peculiar, since those grooves and textures found on road tires are meant to provide better grip and improve handling in a variety of conditions. Tread wear is one factor that can make old road tires unsafe for use, although Formula 1 tires are changed at least once per car during each race. Interestingly enough, Formula 1's smooth tires are meant to create the ultimate grip — they just can't be used in wet conditions. When rain comes, teams are allowed to use treaded rain and intermediate tires in the name of safety.

When accelerating and turning at such incredible speeds, a Formula 1 car's grip on the road is of the upmost importance. If they're running on slick tires, there's more surface area of the tire in contact with the ground. As the car's sla work to push it against the track, these tires also flex more than road tires, grabbing more of the road surface to stick even better. All tires perform better after they've warmed up a bit, which is why Formula 1 drivers weave back and forth during formation and safety car laps.

If you watch historical footage of old Formula 1 races, you might notice visible treads on the tires. That's because the car technology didn't allow for slick tires just yet. The tires used in Formula 1 back in the 1950s were actually quite similar to the ones you'd see on the road during that time. The grip on these tires wasn't quite enough for the high speeds of Formula 1 racing, and many drivers ended up off the track. As Formula 1 cars became faster over the years, the tires evolved accordingly.

By the 1970s, Formula 1 cars were more aerodynamic and were fitted with radial tires made by Michelin and Renault. These new tires had metal cords running perpendicular to the tread. This reduced the amount of pit stops needed thanks to increased durability. But tire development didn't stop there — as the cars got faster, slick tires were introduced for dry tracks to increase grip. 

Pirelli is the current tire supplier for Formula 1, and each off-season, Pirelli puts the range of F1 tires through rigorous testing to help tweak them for faster and safer racing. The technology developed for F1 tires helped Pirelli's road tires earn fifth place in our rankings of the world's top tire brands.