system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why does friction work differently on wheels than on normal surfaces?

Normally friction isnt influenced by the size of the surface but dragsters and race cars use wider wheels for more friction. Why is this?
gpt
It doesn't.

It's not that wider wheels have better grip, but that wheels with better grip are made wider.

Soft compound tyres are required to be wider in order for the side-wall to support the weight of the car. softer tyres have a larger coefficient of friction, therefore better traction. A narrow, soft tyre would not be strong enough, nor would it last very long, since the rate of wear is inversely proportional to the contact area.

Harder compound tyres wear much longer, and can be narrower. They do, however have a lower coefficient of friction, therefore less traction. Among tyres of the same type and composition, here is no appreciable difference in 'traction' with different widths.

Wider tires, assuming all other factors are equal, commonly have stiffer side-walls and experience less roll. This gives better cornering performance.