APRIL 2018 ISSUE
Tires were the talk of Sebring as the GTD class switched over to a new Continental Tire that the Lexus RC F GT3 will race on for the remainder of the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. During race weekends, teams are equipped with two types of tires for both wet and dry conditions. The slick tire is preferred in dry conditions as they provide higher traction which allows for faster lap times. However, if the race track gets damp, teams are forced to switch over to a wet set of tires. These tires have visible grooves and are designed with a completely different tread to give drivers maximum grip in wet conditions, but while traction will improve, the lap times on these treaded tires will slow down.
Have you ever wondered how pit crews are able to quickly identify where each tire goes? If you have ever attended an IMSA race and visited the garage area, you may have noticed there is writing on the wall of each of the tires. This assists the team in quickly distinguishing the set number, as well as whether it is a right front tire or a left front tire. The tires are marked to ensure they are fitted in the correct location due to all four tires having different tire pressures, which are related to the circuit the tire is being run at. Each team is allowed a maximum number of tires during the race weekend, so the numbering on the tires assists the teams in keeping a count of their allotment and to ensure the desired tires are going on the RC F GT3 at any given time.
Teams like 3GT Racing continually practice to make their pit stops as fast as they can. While it might take 10 minutes at your local Lexus dealership to install a set of tires on a Lexus RC F, the tire change process on the Lexus RC F GT3 race car takes less than 20 seconds during a pit stop.
