“Understanding the C6s was tough,” stated Alex Albon after qualifying seventh for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
To an extent, that was the purpose in bringing it right here. F1 groups spend a large proportion of their annual budgets on analysis and simulations to eradicate uncertainty, however predictability is the enemy of excellent racing.
Pirelli added the C6 to its household originally of the 2025 season to offer a good softer compound selection. It was initially slated for introduction in Monaco, with a view to rolling it out in Montreal, Singapore and Las Vegas if its maiden look went properly.
That preliminary plan modified when it grew to become clear Pirelli’s different compounds have been too comparable throughout races, making one-stop races the default strategic possibility for groups. Due to this, F1’s official provider introduced ahead the C6 debut to Imola, because the development signifies each tyres a step softer than final yr after the opening rounds, but in addition to see if it could allow Pirelli to ‘skip’ compounds at future occasions.
What Pirelli – and F1 and the FIA – desires to attain is a better number of strategic selections, the place the distinction between one-stop and two-stop races is much less clear lower, and the place groups could make use of the distinction between compounds to create an offset in efficiency for drivers. The nirvana organizers goal for is “peak finish impact” for spectators, the place the offset allows drivers on brisker tyres to chase these forward within the closing laps.
However there’s a tough steadiness to strike. Go too tender and also you’re funnelled right into a scenario the place the softest tyre is simply utilized in qualifying.
That seemed to be the case in Imola, though there have been some positives. Each Aston Martin drivers and Mercedes’ George Russell used medium tyres, figuring them to be higher – however in doing so doubtlessly compromised themselves for the race.
George Russell, Mercedes, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
This is likely one of the eventualities Pirelli needed to engineer, although it most likely would relatively not have reached that consequence by way of a tender tyre that struggled to final a full lap.
“We have seen it in a variety of tracks beforehand, each this yr and final yr,” stated Albon. “The softer tyres typically are higher on the low-speed corners.
“However even if you happen to take Suzuka this yr, the laborious tyre felt the very best in sector 1 [which is medium-to-high-speed]. There’s a little bit of a commerce, and round this monitor it looks as if the C6 simply ideas it over the sting.
“There are too many high-speed corners for it and it is simply falling over somewhat bit. It’s kind of too delicate for this monitor kind.
“That’s common – clearly, we [F1 as a whole] try to additionally create a little bit of degradation within the race. So I believe we’re simply going softer tyres – however to a degree now the place generally it is getting too tender even for qualifying.”
The temper music from the drivers and several other group bosses was that the C6 was shedding a lot efficiency over the course of a single flying lap that it is perhaps higher to make use of the medium as an alternative – the C5, previously Pirelli’s softest. However underneath the trendy F1 regime the place drivers are solely permitted 13 units of slick tyres over a ‘regular’ (i.e. non-sprint) weekend, drawn from the three accessible compounds this entailed a sacrifice just some groups have been prepared to make.
“The entire weekend has been somewhat bit complicated, which tyre was higher, the medium or the tender,” stated Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin’s medium-tyre punt. “So, out of the confusion, we determined to do one tender, one medium in every of the [qualifying] periods.
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Photograph by: Lars Baron / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
“Like this, we lined each chance. I believe we have been aggressive with each, to be trustworthy.
“Every thing has a consequence and every little thing has a bonus and drawback. To have the ability to do that in qualifying, this type of programme, it’s important to eliminate one of many hards.
“So, I believe everybody has two hards for tomorrow. We have now just one, however that is the wager it is advisable to make at one level.
“It is a tough monitor to overhaul and we make somewhat little bit of a precedence into Saturday. Let’s examine if it pays off.”
To a point the trade-off of danger vs reward is a query of perspective. Max Verstappen, who certified second on the C6, determined the gamble wasn’t price it.
“I didn’t need to do this as a result of I needed to have the appropriate tyres for tomorrow,” he stated. “I’ve been on pole just a few instances this yr, however after that, it didn’t actually assist a lot. We have now to verify we rating factors within the race, that’s crucial factor.”
The complicating issue – and the one which militates towards Pirelli’s hopes of engineering strategic selection – is that Imola’s lengthy pitlane naturally pushes groups in direction of a one-stop race as a result of the time misplaced within the pits (round 28 seconds) inevitably prices monitor place, which is tough to recoup.
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
“We knew going into Q3 there have been going to be automobiles utilizing the C5, as a result of the C5 is faster this weekend,” stated Carlos Sainz, who went quickest of all in Q2 earlier than ending Q3 in sixth. “Fernando used it, Russell used it and so they, if something, certified higher than what they need to have, so once more that proves it [that the C5 is faster because it suffers less degradation over a single lap].
“They did what everybody thought, however on the identical time they’re doubtlessly compromising the race tomorrow with a used tyre. For us it is too vital within the race to sacrifice a C5.
“I’d have executed it, however the group was very disciplined to not use it. However once more, P5 was the utmost right this moment – lap on C5 would have put us three or 4 tenths additional ahead, however just one place additional forward, so it’s what it’s.”
Pirelli is already speaking about bringing the C6 to Baku in addition to the others initially deliberate, and pushing on with its idea of skipping compounds afterward within the yr. If the drivers who sacrificed C5s for a greater grid place endure no draw back, after all, that will simply change…
Pictures from Imola GP – Apply & Qualifying
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