Ambient Temperature

[Gabriel Rosario]

Does the ambient temperature affect the tire pressures and consecuently the lap times?????
Was running really slow and loosing performance the other day, and the only thing different I noticed was the track was 6c cooler.

 

[Marian Zelenka]

More like track temp affects your tire pressures, I guess.

 

[UMC 22]

Probably a combination of both ambient and track temps. The colder it is in general, the harder it will be to keep your tyre temps/tyre pressure up. The result should be less than optimal grip. I don't know how detailed R07's temp simulation is though. The Mini event at Mosport last week was pretty cold, but tyre temps did not appear to suffer and the cars handled fine in the dry.

If you use XD you can see your tyre temps and pressures in real-time as you drive.

 

[Gabriel Rosario]

Ironically the track temp was exactly the same as my PB.
I put more pressure on 4 tires and voila, ran 1 tenth of PB. Im still testing.

 

[Dennis Phelan]

..... I don't know how detailed R07's temp simulation is though. The Mini event at Mosport last week was pretty cold, but tyre temps did not appear to suffer and the cars handled fine in the dry.

If you use XD you can see your tyre temps and pressures in real-time as you drive.

The info I see presented in the session info and on screen thru XD seem only to work out right when conditions are dry. Once damp or raining, anything can happen.

 

[Jamie Ralfs]

I find they affect my tyres quite significantly.

In qualifying for example, if its pretty hot, they get up to temperature a lot quicker, and I also find there is more grip too. However, they only last for 2-3 laps before they drop off quite a lot.

In race, naturally, if the ambient is hotter than normal, it will have an effect on your tyres too. You can probably guess the rest of what I am saying though: the hotter it is in ambient, the faster your tyres will degrade over a race period.

If its cooler than normal, then it will be harder getting temperature into your tyres, so may take a lap or two to get them up to optimum temp. In race, it means your tyres will last slightly longer, compared to if it was a little warmer.

With all that said, just bear in mind that this is from my own experience.