The teams in Formula 1 often have to make tough decisions about which tires to use during races. Sometimes, they don’t use one of the options because it might not be the best choice for the track conditions. But at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend, the head of car racing at Pirelli, Mario Isola, says it’s causing a real “headache” for the teams.
Suzuka, where the race is happening, has a track that wears out tires quickly. So, it’s usually not possible to do the whole race with just one tire stop, unless there’s a long safety car period at the perfect time. This means the teams need to figure out the best way to use the different types of tires they have.
The weather at Suzuka this April is cooler than usual, which means the soft tires, which are faster than the medium ones, might last longer than normal. Plus, the track surface is rough, which makes the tires wear out faster.
Normally, the medium and hard tires are close in performance, so it’s not too difficult to choose between them. But this time, it’s more complicated.
The safest strategy would be to use medium tires first, then hard ones twice. These two types of tires have shown to be the most consistent during practice runs.
But using the soft tires at the start of the race could give a big advantage because they have more grip. However, they don’t last as long, so the first stint with them would be shorter.
Mario Isola explained, “The soft tires are 1-1.2 seconds per lap quicker than the medium. So, if you want to get ahead at the start of the race with tires that give you a lot more grip, you should choose them. Then, you could plan to switch to hard tires later in the race, especially if you want to make a quick pit stop and gain an advantage.”
But not all teams have enough hard tires available for this strategy. Some teams, like Red Bull, Ferrari, and Aston Martin, only have one set of hard tires for the race. This means they’ll have to use the medium tires as well, and they might need to manage how quickly those tires wear out.
Last year, Max Verstappen won the race using medium, medium, and hard tires. But with the soft tires being a good option this year, the strategy might be different.
It’s hard to predict what strategy each team will choose. But with the different tire options and the possibility of rain, the Japanese Grand Prix promises to be an exciting and unpredictable race.
