The Importance of Rubber Products in Formula 1

8th December, 2025

From racing cars and equipment to protective clothing and track safety, rubber is an extremely common material used in Formula 1. Not only does it provide a strategic advantage and make cars faster, but rubber also provides safety for mechanics, offers physical control for drivers and ensures reliability within car systems.

At Aquaseal Rubber, we design and manufacture bespoke rubber solutions for a range of industries, including racing cars as part of the automotive sector. This guide will highlight the importance of rubber in F1, where it is used and what it impacts within the sport.

Why is rubber important in Formula 1?

Rubber is a critically important material in F1 because it directly impacts speed, safety and precision, which in turn affects race outcomes.

One of the most important components in a racing car’s performance, rubber is fundamental to determine the amount of grip a driver has on track. Strong grip levels improve safety but also encourage better performance and faster lap times. The tyres of an F1 car are the only part on the car to touch the track, meaning rubber is a critical material for performance and safety reasons.

Not only is rubber essential in racing car tyres, but it is used to support the inner workings of an F1 car, including fuel, oil and cooling systems, as well as protecting the chassis and the driver from impact and to meet the high safety standards implemented by Formula 1’s governing body.

Where is rubber used in Formula 1?

Automotive rubber is used across several aspects of F1. Although different applications have different uses, the overarching purpose of rubber in F1 is to ensure drivers and mechanics are safe.

Cars

In F1, rubber’s most important role is in F1 tyres. Made from a mixture of natural and synthetic rubber, tyre compounds are specifically engineered for grip, durability and temperature resistance. Tyres are heated using specialist heated blankets prior to being used on track and during a race, tyre temperatures can reach above 100°C, meaning the rubber materials used must be resistant to heat at extremely high temperatures.

Rubber materials are used extensively in other parts of F1 cars too. Suspension bushings and other anti-vibration components use rubber to prevent shocks or bumps from other cars, safety barriers and equipment.

Choosing the right rubber seal for your application in F1 is essential, especially with rubber seals, rubber gaskets and O-rings for hydraulic, fuel and cooling systems. For enhanced comfort and precise control for racing drivers, rubber is often found on the steering wheel for grip – typically using silicone – or on button seals and grip pads.

Protective Clothing

In F1, it is essential that every individual who deals with a racing car hands-on, like drivers and mechanics, wears protective clothing.

Whilst rubber is not used for fire protection, it is found in the soles of boots for pedal or pit lane grip, in mechanics’ gloves for shock absorption or as a protective coating and on some pit-crew suits acting as anti-slip patches.

Equipment

Off-track, rubber is used to ensure a range of equipment found in the garage is safe and able to support the optimal performance of an F1 car.

Commonly found in wheel gun handles to ensure grip and precision in the most high-pressured moments and other tool handles, as well as anti-slip mats throughout the garage and protective bump stops on equipment to ensure people are not at risk of injury and the car is not at risk of damage, rubber is a common material in many pieces of equipment in F1.

Track Safety

In motor racing, not only must the safety of the drivers, pit crew, mechanics and other team members be considered, but the safety of fans and spectators is important too.

Track safety is essential for drivers, especially when F1 cars reach top speeds of over 220mph, and so the barrier components, like TecPro barriers – which contain elastomer layers – and tyre walls – where rubber tyres are strapped together to make a wall – must contain effective rubber materials.

There have been instances, like at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 2022, where on-track incidents have seen racing cars fly over and become stuck behind these tyre barriers. With fans only ever metres away from the track, ensuring TecPro barriers and tyre walls are working correctly is essential to prevent fans from injury, and like in the case of this race, ensure the drivers are always safe, too.

The quality of rubber in F1 has to be of an exceptional standard to allow drivers and mechanics to trust the level of safety these rubber products bring to such a fast-paced sport.

Prolonged or incorrect use eventually causes rubber to deteriorate. Whether certain rubber products are used for sealing purposes or to increase the speed of a car, it is crucial that failing or damaged parts are repaired or replaced.

Aquaseal Rubber provide bespoke rubber solutions which are precisely engineered to support automotive projects, like racing cars.

What types of rubber is used in Formula 1?

In F1, numerous types of automotive rubber are used because of their varying properties. The different types of synthetic rubber and natural rubber materials are used – sometimes together – to ensure safety, speed and precision in F1.

Natural Rubber

A latex-based product, natural rubber is used in Formula 1, predominantly in tyres, because it has exceptional tear resistance, high elasticity and strong heat build-up tolerance. This means natural rubber has unique performance advantages that its synthetic alternative cannot fully replicate.

Aside from tyre compounds, natural rubber is used in rubber seals and rubber gaskets – like valve components and low-pressure seals – because they offer flexibility and low-temperature performance and for vibration-dampening components like garage tools and protective bumpers.

Whilst some synthetic rubbers, like styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), EPDM and nitrile are better for high temperatures, chemical resistance, structural stability and sealing under extreme pressure, they cannot match natural rubber in flexibility, low-temperature elasticity, tear resistance or vibration damping.

Synthetic Rubber

In F1 tyres, synthetic rubber materials make up most of the tread compound because they boast durability, high grip and resistance to heat.

Manufactured through the synthetic rubber production process, types of synthetic rubber used in F1 includes SBR because of its heat resistance and predictable wear characteristics, EPDM because it remains stable at high temperatures and has good resistance to ozone and ageing, and butyl rubber because it has very low permeability and acts as an air-retention layer.

When blended with natural rubber materials, synthetic rubber makes the perfect tyre compound for safety and speed.

Aquaseal Rubber provides bespoke rubber solutions for all industries

At Aquaseal Rubber, we are proud to offer a range of custom rubber solutions to clients operating in different industries all over the world.

If you are looking for support with an automotive project, like new bespoke parts or replacement rubber parts for racing cars, our team are here to help. Contact us to see how we can meet your bespoke requirements through the design and manufacture of rubber today.