Question

What type of tyres do $F_1$ cars use?

Answer 1

Tyres are the single biggest variable in a car’s performance, undergoing by far the most wear and tear of any one component.

Road car tyres are designed specifically to endure this wear, with heavy reinforcement and significant tread depth allowing them to go for tens of thousands of kilometres between changes. By contrast, $F_1$ tyres are designed for minimum weight and maximum grip. Low weight means construction that’s just strong enough to withstand the g-forces of $F_1$, but not the constant wear and tear. High grip means dry tyres that are completely slick, with no tread on them at all, which results in maximum contact, but also more damage to the tyre over time.