This season, groups will face rule modifications, aerodynamic testing restrictions and value cap limitations, however presumably probably the most essential issue they have to cope with this 12 months is the most recent tyre compounds from Pirelli.
The deserves of F1’s unique tyre provider has been a near-constant speaking level because it first turned Components 1’s sole supplier again in 2011, and it really works hand-in-hand with the organisers of the world championship in setting targets for what affect on the racing every compound of tyre could have.
Final season noticed the long-awaited introduction of 18-inch wheels into Components 1. For 2023, following complaints in regards to the degradation of entrance tyres final season, there’s a stiffer and stronger construct for the entrance tyres in the entire slick compounds.
The C1, which was the toughest compound in 2022, has now been made softer and nearer to the C2 whereas the outdated model of the tyre successfully continues to exist as a brand new C0 compound. Pressures on the entrance and rear have additionally been lowered by two and a couple of.5 psi respectively.
Pirelli introduced the C1, C2 and C3 to the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, with the latter two additionally getting used within the subsequent two race weekends, beginning at this time in Saudi Arabia. However after only one race, on a monitor identified for its extremely abrasive floor and for being much more rear-limited in comparison with the high-speed tracks which might be subsequent on the schedule, what was the preliminary evaluation from drivers about how tyre administration has modified on the 2023-spec rubber?
“I believe the rear has taken a step in a worse route,” provided Purple Bull’s Sergio Perez.
“However I believe on the finish of the day it’s good, as a result of I believe final 12 months’s tyres have been actually horrible. and the entrance was simply degrading whereas the rear was staying pretty constant and it was simply getting worse and worse. So at the least they’ve a extra manageable platform, the tyres, the place you have got a spot as a driver, you are able to do one thing.
“Whereas final 12 months it was simply the entrance going to die, as a result of it was a really weak tyre. Now I believe each tyres are extra collectively. Most likely the rear remains to be a bit on the robust aspect, however typically isn’t going to push as a lot because the entrance, I really feel.”
Perez is famend for his tyre administration prowess, however admits he “couldn’t do something” with that talent set on the 2022 compounds because of the pace at which the entrance tyres degraded. Now there’s a extra constant lack of grip between the entrance and rear, he thinks “it is going to assist everybody to have a extra manageable tyre put on”.
Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas praised the usability of the revised C1 compound, which is “raceable” now it’s softer and subsequently ought to have much less of a tempo deficit to the grippier C3 which it is going to usually be nominated alongside when utilized in race weekends.
“I believe it’s positively extra usable than the outdated C1,” Bottas defined. “It feels prefer it’s nearer to the C2 that it was once earlier than,” he stated. “So I believe it’s good as a result of very often groups have been making an attempt to keep away from the outdated C1, however now I believe it’s really raceable, so no surprises in any of the compounds, actually.”
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Williams’ Alex Albon, who if not for F1’s obligatory pit cease rule might have taken a single set of tyres the total distance in final 12 months’s Australian Grand Prix, stated he might already see how totally different the administration calls for of this 12 months’s rubber are after only one run.
“The tyres are so totally different, for my part anyway, to final 12 months, simply the best way that they really feel. Barely totally different how the race runs are managed,” he stated.
“I believe all of us knew that the entrance has carried out a bit higher, the entrance is a greater tyre than final 12 months. The rear is kind of related, feels sort of the identical. However when it comes to the best way the tyres are final 12 months, it’s essential to maintain the fronts alive via the entire race. And this 12 months – from the one race run I did [in practice] – it might be a bit extra conventional, a bit extra of what we’ve had earlier than with rear degradation.
The motive force suggestions corresponded with the expectations of Pirelli’s chief F1 engineer Simone Berra, who accurately predicted groups would find yourself staying away from the C2 medium compound through the opening race.
“We’ve seen a lot of the groups making an attempt to do away with the C2 as a result of evidently the C2 will not be a correct race tyre, as a result of it’s within the center between C3 and C1,” Berra defined. “It’s not offering any consistency like C1, however neither the grip because the C3.
“Clearly it’s important to handle lots with excessive gasoline, and with the temperatures. So the danger is to overdrive the C3, after which to lose the tempo.”
Within the race, Purple Bull demonstrated unparalleled capability to handle the C3 mushy compound that they have been in a position to decide on that tyre for 2 of the race’s three stints. In the meantime, their rivals primarily opted to run two stints on the onerous tyres after beginning the race on the softs, as they didn’t imagine they may keep a powerful web page whereas managing their mushy tyres.
Even Berra predicted that latter technique as “a superb choice” for groups eager to keep away from utilizing the C2, which Berra estimated pre-race to be between 0.2 and 0.3 seconds quicker than the C1 – however he had not anticipated Purple Bull having the ability to run lengthy on the C3 as an alternative. He was, nonetheless, in a position to select that the potential of that softer tyre was “1.2 to 1.3s per lap” quicker, displaying the benefit Purple Bull gained their technique and from a automobile that didn’t aggressively use the tyre.
This weekend, Pirelli’s Mario Isola expects that the three compounds chosen for Jeddah – the C2,C3 and C4 – will provide a unique problem to those groups have already confronted in Bahrain.
“For the fast Jeddah monitor, now we have confirmed the identical compound decisions as final 12 months as they confirmed excellent consistency all through the race weekend,” Isola stated.
“The primary race in Bahrain was all about traction and braking however Jeddah as an alternative focuses on lateral forces, with fully totally different traits to Sakhir.”
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