Pirelli’s best problem since changing into System 1’s sole tire provider in 2011 has been to reconcile its temporary – to ship tires whose efficiency drops off sharply past a given level – with the drivers’ want to have rubber which they will push on via a complete stint. These two necessities may not be mutually unique however the ‘candy spot’ between them is difficult to search out.
No one, least of all of the drivers, desires to have races which settle into lengthy processional phases the place no one dares push for worry of degrading their tires quicker than rivals. When overtaking is tough – both as a result of observe structure militates towards it or automotive efficiency is just too intently matched – guarding observe place turns into the strategic crucial and groups look to minimise the variety of pitstops they should make.
This yr Pirelli has given drivers extra of what they wished by adjusting its compounds to be extra resilient – and the impact, together with automotive efficiency converging, has been extra one-stop races with much less strategic variation. At a number of rounds the distinction in life and lap time between the onerous and medium compounds has been so small that it has all however eradicated the technique of, say, extending a stint to construct a tire offset for later within the race.
Presently it’s mandated that three dry-weather compounds – marked onerous, medium and gentle – are introduced to every spherical. Till this yr these had been drawn in sequence from a pool of 5, formally named C1-C5, relying on the necessities of the circuit.
The processional nature of the Japanese Grand Prix alarmed all of the stakeholders, prompting Pirelli to recommend an answer: ‘skipping’ compounds so there’s a larger step in tire efficiency. This might push groups in the direction of two-stop methods or introduce a component of peril in dash weekends, forcing them to make tough decisions and potential sacrifices.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Isack Hadjar, Racing bulls Workforce
Picture by: Peter Fox / Getty Photographs
Nevertheless it all hinges on the efficiency of the C6 tire – new for this yr and, thus far, examined however not raced. At Imola it will likely be within the mixture of potential decisions for the primary time, and the info gathered right here – offered the weekend is essentially dry – will inform Pirelli’s resolution to take its compound-skipping plan ahead or not.
As Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola defined throughout the Miami weekend, the present compounds can’t be modified throughout the season, so the corporate needed to discover different levers to drag.
“We have to perceive if there may be another attainable strategy in tire choice to push them [the teams] to have a two-stop technique,” he stated.
For Imola Pirelli is bringing the softest decisions of the season thus far – the C6 was initially envisioned as a super-soft choice for road circuits. What Pirelli desires to keep away from is the destiny dealt to the ‘hyper-soft’ compound launched in 2018: used for the primary and solely time in Monaco, it didn’t ship the anticipated outcome as your complete grid plodded round, a number of seconds a lap off their qualifying occasions, to keep away from having to cease greater than as soon as.
Pirelli’s view is that it must see how the C6 performs in race circumstances as a result of all it has now could be check knowledge which is much less consultant.
“Hopefully, if it’s dry, [the aim is] to get knowledge on the C6,” stated Isola, “after which attempt to simulate once more different races to see if skipping one degree [will work] – for instance, between C3 and C4 the delta lap time is sort of shut, possibly we are able to take into account C2, C4 and C5.
Mario Isola, Racing Supervisor, Pirelli Motorsport, talks to the press
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs
“That implies that if you wish to go on a one-stop C2-C4, the C2 is clearly slower, so that you should not have the identical benefit as should you nominate C3, C4 and C5.
“In another instances we are able to take into account to make use of C3, C5 and C6. Or C2, C4 and C5. So Imola is essential as a result of we want further knowledge on the C6.”
For Monaco this yr, two stops have been made obligatory, however that is unlikely to be adopted throughout the board as a result of it might probably result in all groups working broadly the identical methods and stopping on the identical level. What the stakeholders need to obtain is a state of affairs the place there may be extra strategic variation and the place the optimum decisions are much less apparent – so there can be a mixture of one and two-stop methods, probably even three.
Attaining that is finest achieved by encouragement than drive.
The attendant threat of getting extra separation between compounds is that one turns into the de facto qualifying tire and is rarely utilized in race circumstances. Pirelli has been working with the business rights holder to simulate potential outcomes and mitigate this threat.
“We will additionally do C1, C3 and C5,” stated Isola. “I am undecided in regards to the outcome, however we are able to try this.
“We [would] by no means resolve it ourselves. We make a proposal to the FIA and F1. We share the proposal with the groups after which we come to an settlement with the approval of the FIA.
A few of F1 and Pirelli’s simulations have concerned exploring whether or not it might be attainable to drive groups into tough trade-offs throughout dash weekends – maybe sacrificing some efficiency within the dash to have a extra optimum tire choice for the race. Whether or not these situations may truly be engineered, given the groups’ simulation capabilities, is one other query.
“It is a unending story,” stated Isola. “We attempt to create a difficulty to the groups, and so they discover a answer…”
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