Russian GP: Pirelli Grand Prix Preview
By Courtesy of Pirelli
April 25 2017
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Pirelli Russian
Grand Prix Preview |
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Formula 1 heads towards Europe
with the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi, which joined the F1 calendar in 2014.
The track surface is smooth, with mild weather conditions expected, so for
the second time this season the three softest tyres in the range have been
nominated. But it’s the first time that the ultrasoft tyre has been brought
to Russia. In the past, the race has always been won using a one-stop
strategy.
THE CIRCUIT FROM A TYRE POINT OF VIEW
- Degradation levels are among the lowest seen all season: limited demands
on tyres.
- Generally mild weather conditions mean thermal degradation is contained as
well.
- Turns 2 and 13 are the heaviest braking zones, with a risk of
flat-spotting tyres.
- The final sector is all about traction and braking: stop-go, similar to
Abu Dhabi.
- Track not used extensively outside of the grand prix, so will be very
‘green’ at first.
- Most demanding corner is Turn 3: a multi-apex left-hander a bit like
Istanbul’s Turn 8.
- The front-right tyre is worked hardest. |
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MARIO ISOLA - HEAD OF CAR
RACING
“The race follows a two-day test in Bahrain, so it will be interesting to
see how the lessons learned there translate into on-track performance and
tyre management in Russia. On the face of it, with Sochi being a
low-severity circuit and more durable tyres this year, it should be a
relatively straightforward one-stop race. However, this is the first time we
are going there with the ultrasoft tyre, so the effect that it has together
with the new generation of cars remains to be seen. The performance gap
between the softest compounds is relatively small, so all three choices are
potential race tyres in Sochi.”
WHAT’S NEW?
- Ultrasoft comes to Russia for the first time: well-suited to low-severity
asphalt.
- From Australia to Spain, teams have identical tyre allocations: seven sets
of the softest compound available for the event, four sets of the middle
compound, and two of the hardest compound. From Monaco, normal rules apply:
teams will select 10 sets of the 13 available, with the selections announced
10 days before the race. |
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