More rubber on the ground does not = better traction


Think about weight distribution. You have a very thin tires, so you have a very thin contact pad on the ground. The weight of your car is evenly distributed across that pad, and there is much weight in that single area. Now, you have a wider tire, and a greater contact area, which means less weight at a given point on the area but evenly distributed across the large area. Kinda hard for me to explain, so I will give you an example:

Put your hand on a table palm down, and only put the weight of your hand on the desk (ie. don't push down). Now, try moving your hand across the table. Next, put your hand in a fist, and rest your knuckles on the table, again with only the weight of your hand resting on the desk. Slide your knuckles across the table. Now, the area in contact of your hand with your palm down is much greater than with your hand in a knuckle, but, given all things equal (ie. not excess sweat, oil, etc on your palm) it should take the same force to move your hand across the table both times.



*edit- ONLY in a straight line*