The Race-Winning Tyre

I was lying down one day, thinking about the perfect race car. I was contemplating the aerodynamics, the engine, the airflow, the wheelbase, the engine placement, and all of the important components of a fast car. However, I forgot the most obvious thing, the tyres. Without tyres, the car cannot even move. If you watch Formula One, GT racing, Endurance racing and similar motorsports, you know that tyres can help you win races, from choosing the right composition to proper management of them during the races.

Abu Dhabi 2021: Hamilton vs Verstappen

The 34th World Champion, Max Verstappen, claimed the Formula One Championship Title at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Surrounding this win was a controversial decision made by Race Control during the final laps. Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion and arguably the best of all time, was comfortably in the lead and set to take his 8th title, breaking the record for the highest number of titles won.

Nicholas Latifi crashed his car, prompting the deployment of the safety car and a reset of the race. Max pitted for soft tyres, while Hamilton stayed out. However, an erroneous decision made by Michael Masi allowed five cars to unlap themselves directly between Max and Hamilton before the race restarted. By the last lap, Max, on fresher and softer tyres, managed to overtake Hamilton, securing victory.

If not for the lacklustre call by Race Control, it was almost certain that Lewis Hamilton would have become the 8th World Champion. However, from my perspective, the tyres won the race for Max. The pace difference between a hard tyre and a soft one could be almost a second, which is a significant amount of time to lose to a competitor. Who knows what would have happened if Max hadn't pitted or if Race Control hadn't allowed those cars to unlap themselves? What I do know is that tyres play a crucial role in winning races. So, next time you think of a fast race car, give the tyres some credit.