Pirelli expects long stints on the tyres during German Grand Prix
F1 News
High temperatures are expected for the German Grand Prix weekend, but Mario Isola doesn't think they'll cause too many problems with the tyres. On circuits such as Paul Ricard and the Red Bull Ring, the tyre wear was high because of the warm temperatures.
Hockenheim hasn't been one of the constants on the Formula 1 calendar over recent seasons. The teams are less familiar with the circuit and have a smaller data pool compared to tracks like Silverstone. But Isola doesn't think this matters.
"For many years Hockenheim alternated with the Nurburgring, then it dropped off the calendar entirely, before returning last year. Nonetheless, there’s nothing about the track that is a surprise, with the demands and forces on the tyres being quite balanced. One exception is the Motodrom section, which is a bit more stop-and-go, while another thing to be aware of is the camber on Turn 12 and Turn 13," Isola said.
Despite the high temperatures forecast, Isola expects the degradation to be low during the German Grand Prix weekend. The teams have the compounds C2 (hard), C3 (medium) and C4 (hard) available to use this weekend.
"Wear and degradation is generally low, so in the past, we have seen some quite long stints on the tyres. As we experienced last season though, the weather is hard to predict in Hockenheim at this time of year and this could certainly be one key element influencing strategy," Isola concluded.