Tyre Temperature Telemetry Acquisition

[kaiser]

I have searched and searched on this subject but come up, thus far, empty handed. Does anyone know how the engineers are able to monitor tyre temperature on a moving vehicle? Is is purely through tracking tyre pressures and calculating relative surface temperature via the thermodynamics of air/tyre surface material and their heat-transfer properties? Or is it measured in some more direct way with a focuesed lens and thermopile system, similar to those in laser/infrared based "point-and-shoot" non-contact thermometers?

Also, does anyone know what system F1 engineers use to monitor tyre pressure telemetry? I know there are several methods out there and I was simply curious.

Thanks for any input!

[coysht]

F1 tyre temp is often measured using thermal imaging devices.

I know for specific tyre testing they use infra-red cameras pointed directly at the tyres to look at the temp across the surface (when you see a strange black blob on the side of the chassis behind the front wheel, or infront of the rear wheel in testing, its probably one of these cameras) - the McLaren cars (particularly back when we had a tyre war) could be seen with a little bump along the side of the chassis and what looked like a small space ship sitting on the back of the floor (see below)



Alternatively they could (i say could as I'm guessing here) probably use a simple single point infra-red sensing probe if they were more interested in general temp as opposed to the temp profile across the tyre.

[Tifoso]

Is it just me, or do those cameras look exactly like the ones Ferrari uses?

[coysht]

Is it just me, or do those cameras look exactly like the ones Ferrari uses?

perfectly possible - there are only so many way you can do it and only so many suppliers.

Can't say i've seen anything on the Ferrari that looks the same, but that doesnt mean they don't.

[Tifoso]

perfectly possible - there are only so many way you can do it and only so many suppliers.

Can't say i've seen anything on the Ferrari that looks the same, but that doesnt mean they don't.

I was doing a McLaren-gate joke

[SS454]

If I recall right, the F2003-GA had little sensors in the kickups infront of the rear wheels to somehow monitor tire temps. Im sure it wasnt nearly as informative as those thermal cameras, but for keeping live-timing telemetry during a race would certainly be valuable. Im sure a close up picture could be dug up.