prince wrote:Now that we are sure that W03 is facing tyre problems. Let everyone pitch in here and provide thier understandings and suggest how can W03 be improved in the area of tyres.
Problem Statement: Tyre degradation.
Perceived cause: Tyres are not getting into optimum range of operating temperature, which is causing heavy degradation. THE ISSUE IS NOT OVERHEATING.
My solution: As we can see, teams who have a better exhaust layout, in someway are helping the tyres to heat up by exhaust gases. The best way to put temperature in tyres is without causing tyre wear. By weaving on the circuit, tyres can be warmed up, but they degrade. The need of the hour is to put the temperature in without causing degradation. In current scenario, there is no way, I think they can resolve the issue by changing the setup. MGP has to copy the exhaust layout of Redbull or McLaren. By blowing the exhaust gases, they can warm up the tyres, without causing degradation. I don't see them fixing it before Spanish GP.
Any other ideas?
Better exhaust layouts not only improve heat buildup, but I suppose that they also maintain an uniform temperature around the surface of the tyre. That's, IMO, the only fundamental difference between some cars and the others.
Because, it matters not whether tyres are brought to working temperature if their surface is exposed to temperature transition cycles outside the control of the tyre operator [sensors give good readings for the tyre-ground contact patch, good readings for the inside of the rubber, uniform heating etc - but the surface is still exposed to the elements and the air flow].
What I'm thinking is that the tyre has a composite structure, i.e. in its working surface perhaps there is a lattice [that's the word, not "fishnet" as I used previously lol] pattern of shape memory rubber. Something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfWsuJDz ... re=related - just watch the first 15 seconds and you'll get the idea.
Such an un-orthodox tyre structure would generate a very counter-intuitive behavior we see so many complaints about, because, in absence of a hot gas cushion for the wheel, the shape transformation would manifest especially at low speeds [lower wheel revolution speed ->>> longer temperature difference exposure for the surface of the tyre heheh ->>> aggravated material fatigue]. Shape memory materials also can be customized for temperature triggers, transition speed etc., and the shape-change occurs with brutal force, since it's not a mechanical transformation, the transformations are nuclear/molecular.
If that's the case, it's a very clever trick by Pirelli. Not really in good taste, but a very clever trick nevertheless.