F1 2012 Tire Wear - help needed!

[Finn]

So I'm in my second season in Career having started with Force India and now in the Lotus. 4 races through I'm doing quite well having finished 3rd, 4th, 6th and 2nd. The one issue holding me back is tyre wear - I'm racing 50% distance and from the top 10 on the grid running a fairly predictable 1 stop strategy. But the option tyres are shredded by the time I'm due in and , more importantly, I'm struggling to hold off the cars behind me at the end of races - to the extent where Alonso and Hamilton etc will be lapping close to 1 sec a lap faster as my tyres are completely hammered (orange).
I realise staying off the curbs and not locking up is important but even in a smooth race I'm struggling to look after them.
Could really use some help here, any setup or other general advice to counteract this?

 

[Kristian Nenov]

Which tyres are the problematic? Fronts or rears?

 

[Finn]

Oh right yep. Mainly the rear tyres!

 

[Glaivas]

Maybe you have to modify your setup or clean your drive style (don't open the gas too violent exiting from curves for example). Too many variables affect tyre wear.

 

[Dimos Kapourniotis]

A big mess to all the pit stop strategy is created if you use your quali tyres too much.For example if you make 4-5 laps with one set then you start the race with screwed tyres which will make you suffer to the end of the stint and they won't last for the 12-15 laps the strategy refers to( 50% race).A solution that works for me is that in Q3 i always drive out a very slow and carefyll lap, do a really quick one and after crowl back again to the pits.If i'm not happy with the time i did, i use a new set of tyres and do the same again.That's a total of 3 laps in each case.If you use the other option for qualifying (go to track - flying lap - do 3-5 fast laps because you are getting faster - and return to the pits) then your tyres have been used for 7 laps and that will not help you in the start of the race with a heavy car.

 

[HROAndi]

Dimos advice is definitely extremely helpful. Also, have a look at your setup! Camber and toe settings will affect tire wear tremendously. Further, suspension and balance setting can also influence your tire wear. Read the advice given in the setup screens and try to adjust the settings just a little bit, so that you still feel comfortable on the track.

 

[ilax33]

I might be having the same problem. In Monaco, after my first lap and 1 turn on the second lap my rear tires are shredded. They go from being fresh tired to light orange after one turn. I'm having the same issue on Montreal now. Idk if it's a bug because I haven't changed anything when it comes to driving style and my tires would survive on past races. The setups I use are the one off of here and I can't see how this is happening. I'm driving Williams 50% professional.

 

[f1mn]

Tyre wear is a combination of car setup, driving style and track conditions. If you drive very aggressively in the race (especially early on with heavy fuel) then your rear tyres will go quickly (especially at a track like Monaco). {At Catalunya, my FL tyre destroys itself under heavy fuel due to the understeer generated by the weight of the car.}

If you make a large setup error, you can get large amounts of tyre wear, but most of it is due to driving style. Just be smooth and consistent in the race to look after your tyres (especially rears) early on.

 

[James Bannister]

I might be having the same problem. In Monaco, after my first lap and 1 turn on the second lap my rear tires are shredded. They go from being fresh tired to light orange after one turn. I'm having the same issue on Montreal now. Idk if it's a bug because I haven't changed anything when it comes to driving style and my tires would survive on past races. The setups I use are the one off of here and I can't see how this is happening. I'm driving Williams 50% professional.

Tracks like Monaco start on Lean fuel mix too maybe, as the traffic is going to cause you an issue, also set ups with lots of grip round that track end up being deadly on tyre wear, so may be a matter of trying to tweak it and don't push so much round the track and try to be smoother.

 

[Frazer Fabio]

I dont know how people have problem with tyres.. I just feel its psychological as my tyres seem to last for very long

 

[James Bannister]

I dont know how people have problem with tyres.. I just feel its psychological as my tyres seem to last for very long

Personally I'd have to disagree, there is no way I can push how I do when my tyres are optimal as the car on either turn in or exit for corners will try to fly away from me. Otherwise I'd be driving like I do in TT all the time.

 

[Frazer Fabio]

Personally I'd have to disagree, there is no way I can push how I do when my tyres are optimal as the car on either turn in or exit for corners will try to fly away from me. Otherwise I'd be driving like I do in TT all the time.

I said "my tyres seem to last very long" I didnt specify performance of the tyre on each lap but as a whole my times from first lap of stint to last are within 5 tenths sometimes a little more

 

[James Bannister]

I said "my tyres seem to last very long" I didnt specify performance of the tyre on each lap but as a whole my times from first lap of stint to last are within 5 tenths sometimes a little more

Could be your driving style I guess, just out of curiosity is this on 100% races?

 

[Frazer Fabio]

both 100 and 50%

 

[Kristian Nenov]

Well, I can say Frazer is right. Tyres do last a lot. I always get negative tyre wear (tyres wear out slower than I use the fuel). If I push at the end of the stint - I can improve my best lap with the tyres. Usually the best laps are around 50-80% of the stint actually. And I always longer my stints. So it's probably about driving style or who knows... Maybe even setup.