Heading into the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend, Pirelli is bringing its newly revised tires and announced its compound choices for the following three races after the month-long Formula One summer break.
Following Young Driver and Pirelli tire testing at Silverstone last week, the company decided to keep its softer 2013 compounds, but combine them with the construction of the 2012 tire in an effort to prevent earlier tire delaminations and unexpected failures.
The company said there has been careful consideration not to disrupt the current running order, although the race in Hungary will be the first true test of how well teams are able to adapt to the new tire characteristics.
The sole team not to have taken part in the July 17-19 testing was Mercedes AMG Petronas, who were charged and banned from Silverstone after taking part in illegal sessions with Pirelli in May.
Starting at Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix, Pirelli will bring its two hardest compounds – the hard (orange wall) and medium (white wall) tires for one of the longest and fastest circuits of the year. The Spa circuit puts on the heaviest vertical loads of any track on the calendar, mainly due to the steep, high speed incline at the Eau Rouge corner.
The hard and medium compounds will make their return to the following race at Monza, where drivers experience some of the fastest straight line speeds of the year. The circuit also combines a long, high speed turn that puts cars, drivers and tires alike under extreme loads.
For the third race in Singapore, the medium (white) compound will be the prime tire, paired with the supersoft (red) option which makes its return for the first time since Canada. The lower temperatures of the nighttime race and numerous tight corners and chicanes make the supersoft an ideal compound to attack and exit corners at greater speeds.
“The second half of the season starts off with two of the fastest and most demanding races for tires of the year, in Belgium and Italy,” Pirelli Motorsport Director Paul Hembery said. “Singapore is a completely different challenge; the final street race of the season, which is ideal territory for the supersoft tires. As always, our selections have concentrated on providing the best opportunities for strategy as well as the most effective race tires.”
For the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend, the new soft (yellow) and medium (white) tires will be used. The 4.381 km circuit is filled with numerous high-speed straights and medium-speed corners, making for an excellent test of how the tires and teams are able to perform.
Practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix starts Friday at 7:55 a.m. (EST) on TSN2, followed by qualifying on Saturday at 7:55 a.m. on TSN (encore at 6 p.m. on TSN2).
The race starts Sunday at 7:55 a.m. (EST) on TSN (encore at 5 p.m. on TSN2).
