Ferrari Mailing List: 18 inches

[Rick Lindsay (richardolindsay]

Hey Friends,

Warning: F1 content!

Just had a look at the Lotus with 18" wheels and low profile tires. I haven't heard anything about performance but they make this year's arguably ugly car look better.

We all know that tires are more than grip. They're also an adjustable part of the suspension. For exampke, 13" wheels with higher profile tires are necessarily bigger 'springs'. Suspension changes will be required. Pondering: Is the suspension more controllable with stiffer tires, or are large profile tires more forgiving of setup?

Another issue of concern with low profile tires is increased potential for wheel damage. I can imagine that curb hopping would have to be avoided. Sebastian might even have to stay on the track when attempting overtaking.

On the plus side is that bigger wheels allow for bigger brakes. And bigger brakes with more surface contact area, run cooler.

Then again, this is F1 so any modern technology or competitive advantage is soon declared 'illegal' so we'll just have to wait and see what happens in the future years' formula.

-rick