Performance, composition and manufacturing of racing tyres

Pnevmatike so v motošportu ena od najpomembnejših komponent dirkalnika, saj predstavljajo edini fizični stik med podlago in dirkalnikom. Hitrost vožnje, taktične odločitve tekom tekmovanj in varnost zavisijo od njihovega delovanja. Pnevmatike za dirkanje so narejene za premagovanje krajših razdalj v čim krajšem času, kar pomeni, da sta obraba in staranje pnevmatik pomembna dejavnika pri dirkanju. Pnevmatike se obrabljajo s tanjšanjem tekalne površine, pogosta pa sta tudi pojava »graining« in »blistering«. Pnevmatike so sestavljene iz več komponent. Najpomembnejša je izbira kavčukov za gumene zmesi. V gumeno zmes dodajamo še polnila v obliki saj ali silike, procesna olja in dodatke, ki poskrbijo za boljšo obstojnost gumenih zmesi v pnevmatiki in učinkovitejšo ter hitrejšo vulkanizacijo pri njihovi izdelavi. Pomembna komponenta pnevmatik je tudi armatura, katera je sestavljena iz več jeklenih in različnih polimernih materialov. Izdelava pnevmatik poteka po točno določenem postopku, kjer se različne komponente pnevmatike najprej izdela posamično, vsako v svojem procesnim postopkom, nato pa se vse komponente združi, gumene zmesi zamreži in pregleda oziroma analizira.Racing tyres are one of the most important components of racing, as they are the only connection between bolide and track. Racing speed, tactical decisions and safety of drivers all depend on tyres functionality. Racing tyres are made to overcome short distances as fast as possible and, that means that tyre wear and tyre ageing are important factors in racing. Tyres wear physically with thinning of tread or with graining and blistering. Tyres are compounded of many components, most important of them being rubber. In rubber compound we also add fillers, such as soot or silica, process oils, and other accessories that enable longer lifespan of a tyre and more effective and faster vulcanization. Another important component of tyres is also carcass, which is made out of steel and polymers. Manufacturing of tyres is a strictly determined process in which all components are first made individually and are then brought together at the end of the process. At last, the rubber is vulcanized and inspected