Tire scratching in Formula 1: what is it and why is it done?

During the Austrian Grand Prix racing weekend in 2021, the Mercedes F1 team uploaded a “satisfactory” video on social media in which one of its pit crews can be seen working on a used set of Pirelli tires. The video starts with a crew member using a tool to scrape a layer off the tire.

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This may have led several viewers to wonder what this is as it looked quite new and unusual. So what is the crew actually doing?

Well it’s easy. The process is known as “tire scratching” and helps assess tire wear for a particular car. Each team has a crew that follows this training session every race weekend.

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Consider a racing weekend. At first the track is green, there is hardly any rubber around. However, if F1 marches deep into the weekend and more cars are running, there will be a significant amount of tire shredders resulting in rubber all over the track.

And every F1 car would pick such rubbers and other debris on its tires. As soon as the driver brings the car into the pit lane at the end of a session, the crew will therefore dismantle the tire and scrape off the top layer, which essentially consists of melted gum in the form of “chewing gum” and other deposits.

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The history of Formula 1 tires

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Why is an F1 crew scraping it off?

Well, they’re crap after all. Hence, getting rid of such junk is imperative, especially after qualifying. Half of the grid would start with qualifying tires, forcing the teams to remove the unwanted rubber layer.

Also, removing the residue would help the team study the level of tire wear. Before the race weekend, the crew will compare the remaining rubber with the first data from Pirelli. Therefore, the teams can plan tire management accordingly.

So how do you remove it?

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Formula 1 F1 – Hungarian Grand Prix – Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary – August 1, 2021 Aston Martins Sebastian Vettel in action REUTERS / Florion Goga

Well, by using a component that creates steam hot enough to melt the top layer of rubber. The crew then removes the layer with a scraping tool and gives the tire a glittering appearance.

Ultimately, after the weekend, the F1 teams will send the tires back to the manufacturers who will then analyze the tires before sending them for scrapping. Finally, the tires are burned at scorching temperatures and converted into fuel for a cement factory.

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