Video: 2022 18-inch F1 tires explained

One of the most relevant features of Formula 1 in 2022 will be the new 18-inch Pirelli tires fitted to the new cars. It’s the size of the rim that changes, adding five inches to the diameter that has held sway in Grand Prix racing since the 1960s, with compact, very wide tires featuring a ‘pot-bellied’ sidewall that has kept Formula 1 on track for more than half a century.

Now it’s time to change to a more modern approach. With a more considerable emphasis on technological proximity to the road car product as well as aesthetics, the brand new P Zero F1 tire has the same tread width as before (305 millimeters at the front and 405 millimeters at the rear) but a slightly bigger overall diameter, which grows from 660 millimeters to 720 millimeters. The most significant change is a reduction in the sidewall, which now resembles that of the low-profile Pirelli tires that have been the preferred choice of the world’s leading performance road cars for years.