I do not blame you if you think what a horrible title this is’; “The five grooved tyre that never was”. However, somewhere in the early 2000s this tyre with five grooves was not an illusion after a great night out. No, instead, it was a serious idea by the FIA in April 2004 to have these tyres introduced during the season. The reason for this is simple; the cars went too fast on the track according to the FIA. Jenson Button was 2,5 second faster than last year’s (2003) best time to claim pole at Imola. The fifth groove, can you imagine that?
A fifth groove to help curb escalating speeds on the tracks. Because the cars went too fast around the track. Back in 2004, we, the fans, were already complaining about the lack of overtaking during the races. Something the sport has failed since to achieve. DRS, in my eyes, is not a proper way to overtake during a race. I’m glad this artificial device has become obsolete and history for the sport. Would a five grooved tyre help?
The FIA in April 2004 was investigating the options to slower the cars. To add the extra groove, they believed, it would help slowing down the cars eventually. Drivers like Montoya and Schumi did not believe that a fifth groove would help to slow down the cars. Schumi believe it was just returning to the slicks, while Montoya feared that fans would even complain harder about the lack of overtaking and action in the track during the races.
I like to approach this differently, not looking if it will or might or perhaps not would have helped. Fans around the globe seem not to have been happy with grooved tyres to start with. I am a fan of the grooved tyres. I like the view when they are mounted on the car. It gives them some extra dimension if you ask me. Something special, something unreal. Something I can’t explain. Like the fact, I am a big fan of the unpopular Tyrrell Towers / X-wings that were introduced in 1997. Perhaps it is just me, with a weird taste of Formula One.
