Valid question, and when I initially had a lack of rear traction I was wondering the same thing.
The decision was taken on several things:
1. Wide/Rear tires were required for the rear wheels on 2WDs, but they changed this to 'driven wheels' instead to prevent the FWD having an (unfair) advantage of having the freedom to pick 'any' tire up front.
Instead, it's now limited at the front like an RWD on the rear, and tire choice on the rear end as free as it is on an RWD at the front.
2. With the first prototype it didn't take long before I was trying bald rear tires, then nearly bald tires, then narrower tires with good tread left on them. The rear end doesn't need as much grip as wide/rear tires offer.
3. Narrower tires and wheels reduce unsprung weight, reduces the weight in the extremities of the car (reduces rotational inertia) and in combination with other weight savings the (incidental) result is that I can now play around with some weights on the car yet keep the car at the minimum weight.
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