Grooved Tyres

From Frikipedia

Overview

Ranked alongside Max Mosely, Michael Schumacher, Hermann Tilke and aerodynamics in the popluarity stakes (Yes, that low), grooved tyres are used by Formula One cars to travel at breakneck speeds around tracks in front of ever diminishing, unimpressed mobs.

History

First used in the world championships early days, grooved tyres have been shunned in recent years after, in an attempt to make the sport more interesting, they replaced Slick Tyres as an F1 cars mode of making contact with the track (E-Mail is expected to take over soon). Grooved tyres are used in an effort to lower mechanical grip of an F1 car, decreasing cornering speeds and making them slide more through corners. This sliding is an abomination unless it is conducted on aforementioned slick tyres.

Grooved tyres went some way to resurrecting their tattered reputation by bursting on Ralf Schumacher at Indianapolis in 2004. Since news emerged that Ralf had broken his back and suffered a concussion the F1 fraternity has been much more leniant on grooved tyres and abuse usually directed towards them has shifted away, mostly in the direction of Ferrari's rear wing.

Despite the flood of goodwill that incident has generated, grooved tyres are set to leave F1 in 2008.

Science

F1 tyre technology is still a black, round, rubbery art. No one in the world knows exactly what goes on inside an F1 tyre while it rolls along at 300km/h, though it is commonly accepted that some alien technology is involved in their creation; this is probably why Fox Mulder was so interested in the sport.