Looking at modern race cars, you could be forgiven for thinking that all they share in common with today's road vehicles is the air in their tyres. But you'd be wrong!

Most motor racing teams use nitrogen gas to inflate their tyres. That's because nitrogen molecules are around four times larger than oxygen molecules. Therefore, nitrogen doesn't leak as readily.

Less leakage means tyre pressures are maintained and that's good for performance.

Nitrogen inflation can also have benefits for everyday motoring as tyre pressures have a direct impact on fuel economy and on tyre wear. As tyre pressures decrease, fuel use increases and lower tyre pressures can also have a negative impact on the durability of your tyres.