Formulation 1’s sole tire provider, Pirelli, and the FIA have collaborated on an motion plan to assist keep away from a recurrence of the tire issues that plagued final yr’s Qatar Grand Prix, in keeping with data obtained by Motorsport.com.
When F1 returned to the revamped Lusail circuit in 2023, it confronted tire points attributable to injury from the brand new “pyramidal” curbs that had been put in. After the primary apply classes, Pirelli found microscopic fractures on the shoulder space between the tread and the carcass.
The difficulty was triggered by drivers operating over the brand new curbs, which featured a raised 50 mm edge, inflicting important impacts when the tires went past the sting. The issue was exacerbated by the high-speed nature of the circuit.
Talking in regards to the causes of the problem on the time, Mario Isola, Pirelli’s head, stated: “It’s not simply the geometry of the curbs as a result of these curbs are used at many different circuits. What issues is the time and pace spent on the curbs.”
“Right here, through the lap, all of the drivers spend quite a lot of time at excessive pace on the curbs, and this damages the development.”
Amid issues that such injury might result in potential failures, the FIA intervened and imposed a most stint size of 18 laps for brand new tires through the race, successfully turning it right into a three-stop occasion.
To stop a recurrence of those points, Pirelli and the FIA have labored extensively to make sure the tires keep away from an identical scenario this yr.
Probably the most important change might be to the observe itself: the pyramidal-shaped curbs have been rounded off in seven of the circuit’s 16 corners. These embrace the primary two corners, Flip 4, Flip 10, and the part from Flip 12 to Flip 14, the place tires had been most confused final yr.
Forward of this yr’s WEC race on the circuit, the FIA acknowledged: “The ‘Misano’-type curbs on the Lusail Worldwide Circuit are the identical as these used at many different circuits worldwide, homologated by each the FIA and the FIM.”
“It was agreed with the circuit to cut back the height and sharp edges of the ‘Misano’-type curbs at a number of corners to reduce the danger of harm when a automotive goes broad and returns. This modification was carried out in settlement with Formulation 1, and Pirelli was additionally knowledgeable.”
To additional discourage drivers from going too far off-track, the FIA has additionally put in a collection of gravel strips past the observe’s curbs.
Along with bodily work on the circuit, Pirelli performed experiments on its dynamic check benches at its R&D Motorsport Division in Milan to higher perceive the forces at play. This concerned utilizing tires on a pattern of the brand new curb design offered by the FIA to find out whether or not the problems might recur.
Additional information was collected from latest assessments that some groups performed in Qatar over the previous few weeks. Whereas testing with older vehicles didn’t contain utilizing race-specific tires for 2024, the suggestions gathered was helpful for correlating the work finished in Milan with real-world eventualities.
Since Lusail is among the season’s most demanding circuits by way of power ranges, Pirelli will use the three hardest compounds in its vary.
Purchase official Ferrari F1 merchandise!
Let different Scuderia Followers find out about us
