For the Indy 500 and the 5,000 tires used there, the right side must sustain long duration—turn one can last 35 seconds—of loads over 3,000 pounds.
“The right front is stiff, the right rear is stiff, matched to the front,” Adams says. “They are durable and consistent.”
The right rear tire comes one-third of an inch bigger than the left rear, which is also softer. The left front is where the grip comes to play, so expect to see 11-inch treads in the front and over 15-inch treads in the rear.
Firestone, which has served for the past 20 years as the exclusive provider of racing tires for the IndyCar circuit, will produce one specification for every corner of the car from its factory in Akron, Ohio. Adams says most teams will have two variations of dry tires, one that puts a focus on durability and an alternate that has an initial performance benefit that drops away quickly. Every team will also have rain tires. Every tire includes a mix of fabric, steel, and over 10 different compounds.
BTW, the steering wheel on those cars is way different than what you and I have in our cars
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