Tyres, is this a radical concept?

[gethinceri]

So the Pirelli tyres will be colour coded through the logo on the side wall, previously a green band on the Michelin side wall was deemed sufficient. I often struggled to see the compound choice in the past (even sometimes when the old grooved tyres were worn down!) and I'm sure I'll have the same trouble with the Pirellis.
Why don't they just make the entire tyre a different colour?

 

[FB]

Interesting idea Gethin, from my limited knowledge of rubbers the reason why tyres are black is because the rubber material is reinforced by carbon black. Carbon black is used because it has a high tensile strength and high wear resistance (after all diamonds are formed from carbon). The problem with coloured compounds is that they don't offer the same chemical properties as carbon meaning the tyres would wear more quickly changing the grip characteristics and making them less durable.

The chemists at Pirelli would have to work very hard to make coloured tyres which could cope with the rigours of an F1 car.

This wiki link explains a bit more about why carbon is used but doesn't go into colours I'm afraid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_black

 

[gethinceri]

Curses, white would be cool though, wouldn't it?

 

[Galahad]

I'd like to see proper full-coloured sidewalls, as they use(d?) in Indycars to differentiate the soft compound, e.g.:

http://www.indycar.com/tech/content/34140-firestone-tires/

(might just be getting old though)

 

[gethinceri]

No mate, you're right, it's a good idea. Whitewall tyres are the way ahead for F1 to denote compound type.
A proper BIG indication of which tyre is being used.
Then I'll get some whitewalls to pimp up my own car and noone will laugh at me.

 

[MajorDanby]

FB has hit the nail on the head. When you vulcanise rubber, that process using carbon turns it black, tyres will never be any other colour I'm afraid

 

[snowy]

Any other colour would be illogical.

Live long and prosper.

 

[Pyrope]

I used to have white tyres on my mountain bike... looked very funky indeed! They wore out in weeks though...

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

How did we ever manage to understand and enjoy F1 in the 60's, 70's and 80's eh?