MSA TYRE REGS to CHANGE

[AdamR]

Terry, Nick - understood. As you said, I've not been in the game long at all and I think I 'miss the point' of sprint racing a little (a development race to go as fast as you can without regard for a level playing field or budget).

 

Edit: That probably came out a little more strongly than intended but I don't have the brain power to do a better job of trying to say exactly what I mean right now - apologies!

 

Edit 2: Regarding only being able to use 1A tyres, doesn't bother me in the slightest. Yes, times will be slower, but everyone will be at the same disadvantage, 1A rubber seems to be cheaper and it means the road-going cars can have only one set of wheels / tyres and still be competitive.

[Onliest Smeg David]

Edit 2: Regarding only being able to use 1A tyres, doesn't bother me in the slightest. Yes, times will be slower, but everyone will be at the same disadvantage, 1A rubber seems to be cheaper and it means the road-going cars can only have one set of wheels / tyres and still be competitive.

I have to agree with this.

It would make starting the sport to compete more economical, possably encourage more newbies.

[Nick Algar - Competition Secretary]

Adam / David. I think possibly the bit that we have not explained well is that the MSA sets the main rules and then the Championships set their rules. So for example a few years ago the WSCC Championship did use 1A tyres as the control tyre for classes A,B,C & D then E &F were on 1B. If the MSA restrict the Tyres to 1A only effectively Championships have no ability to differentiate classes as shown above. That's the real problem here.

[AdamR]

Thanks for explaining Nick, makes sense.

 

The general trend seems to be 'faster faster!' though, and all classes can use 1B tyres at the moment, so what would be the reason for a 'backwards' step? Or is it just to retain the option of this sort of control for future? Couldn't you do a similar thing with allowing tyre shaving for the 'higher' classifications (we've found them at least 1s a minute faster in the Mazdas)? I appreciate this opens up extra loopholes / scrutineering tasks, but it is very easy to police...

 

Appreciate there are pros and cons each way, just trying to add some balance to the discussion

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Or to put it another way, when I decided to have a go at sprinting, and dipped my toe in the water; I had Toyo 888's a standard XE on throttle bodies and a standard V6 box a Type 9. I had to go in group F and run with ACB10 wearing dog box equipped cars having an average, (back then) between say 230 - 270 bhp.

 

Id already had to buy gives and race suit. Did a few events and while it was all well and good competing against  yourself and was also a bit soul destroying in that class. So at the end of the season, I could have bought new wheels and new 1A tyres, or blow six or seven grand on engine and gearbox upgrades. Of course I did the latter!

 

But so many of us with road cars do run on triple 8's, R1R's Yokohama AO48, 21 etc, that it would be seriously off putting cost wise to have to change back.

 

Plus, why would you want worse performance when it came to doing track days etc?

[AdamR]

But so many of us with road cars do run on triple 8's, R1R's Yokohama AO48, 21 etc, that it would be seriously off putting cost wise to have to change back.

 

A good point well made. I was forgetting those sorts of tyres last a few years for most people (and was under the impression the 1B tyres will be made illegal for road use around the same time the MSA plan to stop using them, so people would have to change at this time anyway).

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Tyres, if the demand is there, will be made to the legal requirements. There seems a big enough demand for track day tyres that they will still be around in some form. At worst, they won't be quite as "good" as the old ones, but will still, most likely be way better than conventional road tyres and still 1b. At best, new technology and materials will get taken advantage off to close the performance gap with the old tyres, all be it at a cost no doubt.

 

Don't forget, it's not 1b tyres be banned as such, just that all the ones that were being stopped were 1b's (If that makes sense).

[AdamR]

There are too many factors I'm not aware of / don't understand, best keep out of this

[XTR2Turbo]

I disagree Adam ... useful for us new comers to understand the rules and history so we know the reasons things are as they are.  Otherwise you have misinformed or disgruntled potential competitors sitting on the sidelines.

 

I have only seen you asking questions that many others would have been thinking.

 

I would be open minded to a class with a control tyre as I only care about WSCC - at the moment.  But I wouldn't want this imposed on others who are pot hunting against other cars.

 

I guess it comes down to numbers.  If enough wanted a control tyre in a class to make it work then it could happen.  Caterham do this with their academy class cars.

 

One thing is for clear - you won't please everyone all of the time and I don't envy Nick having to draft the rules each year.#

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

So true David, so true! An unenviable job squaring that particular circle, for Nick.

[pete g]

cant think of a better man for the job   :t-up:        

[lewis]

I want to be competing in 2016 as was planning on getting a set of R888R's once my IVA is done but now I might be best holding off.

[Lawrie]

To be honest, I don't think I've seen a car in my class on List 1As for years.  The cat was out of the bag and everyone bought 1Bs

 

I liked the point on spending thousands on the engine to stay competitive in class, but for most of us that sort of budget isn't available, and a set of 1Bs is far cheaper than engine mods for the same performance.

 

And I use a hire trailer, not because of the 1Bs, but in case I have to sweep the bits onto it.

 

I think the MSA are testing the water following the EU regulation changes, which stops the production of certain roadgoing tyres, such as 1Bs and most 4x4 (AKA towcar) tyres

[graham frankland]

Hi Folks

 

I am still in Spain taking in the "rays" and I am trying to understand all the relevant issues on tyre choice1

 

So far I think we should challenge the MSA on their 2 basic issues of:

 

1) Harmonisation

2) Tyre/wheel cost

 

In addition we should raise the Safety issues of cars built to run and perform on !B tyres being forced back to 1A

 

I want to be able to consult the Blue Book to be able to put hopefully some meaningful matrix around the numbers of tyre choices and cost options etc before submitting my argument to MSA

 

Does anyone think it useful for us to consult with the Caterham guy´s to check they agree with our thinking and ensure they do not undermine any objections we submit!

 

BR

 

G Free

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

All as the MSA has to be persuaded to do it to exclude Specialist Production Cars from the ruling