by Wim Otten
Will the best driver with the most powerful race car win the Formula 1 Grand Prix this weekend in Canada? It is possible, but then tyre management must also be top notch. In fact, that is crucial at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal where high speeds are achieved followed by hard brakes for some very sharp turns.
A SINGLE STOP STRATEGY WITH MEDIUM AND HARD TYRES has historically been the most commonly used approach on this 2.8-mile street circuit on the Ile de Notre Dame. Sometimes a team will choose to venture out on soft tyres in the first stint and then finish the race on hard tyres. For cars in the backfield, a long first stint on hard tyres can be advantageous. Especially if the field moves back together during a safety car situation.
BUT WHAT IS MEDIUM AND HARD? Is it about tyre pressure? And why go out with soft tyres? Those give a lot more resistance anyway, no way they will make you drive faster. And what is a ‘stint’?
FOR THE F1 LAYMEN therefore a lesson in tyre play.
Formula 1 teams have three types of tyres at their disposal: Hard (C1), Medium (C2) and Soft (C3). These are dry-weather tyres with no tread, called slicks. For a wet track, there are Intermediate tyres with a little tread and Full Wet tyres with a lot of tread, for when the water is pouring down.
ON A COLORED RING on the side of the tyres you can tell which set is under a Formula 1 car.
Hard: White
Medium: Yellow
Soft: Red
Intermediate: Green
Full Wet: Blue
ON NONE of these tyres can a full race be completed. This is not allowed anyway. At least one change per race and then also to another type of tyre is mandatory according to F1 regulations. Usually this happens even twice or more. Which seems actually weird, because a pit stop for a change costs more than 20 seconds, including entering and leaving the pit lane. That lost time should be made up with a set of fresh rubber and preferably also lead to a position gain. Math geeks at the pit wall are constantly busy figuring this out and adjusting the already outlined tyre strategy to the course of the race.
SOFT TYRES offer more grip because of the softer composition of the rubber. They reach the right temperature faster and allow for faster lap times. They are mainly used for short stints and during qualifying for a starting position in the race. Stint here stands for the number of laps the car completes. A Soft tyre can wear out in 10 to 15 laps, especially on a circuit with many turns or in very hot weather. Rapidly increasing lap times then necessitate replacement.
MEDIUM TYRES guarantee the driver a balance between grip and durability. They are slightly slower to reach operating temperature, which takes a few laps, but once they are warm enough, they deliver excellent lap times. They last longer than Soft tyres. If the driver manages to control wear through his driving style, half a race or more can be completed on a set. With Medium tyres, there is more flexibility for adjusting tyre strategy during the race.
HARD TYRES offer less grip but last much longer due to the harder compound of the rubber. Teams choose these when aiming for a one-stop strategy. This is possible on circuits with long straights like Canada. Hard tyres do also well in high temperatures. They are less likely to overheat. On the other hand, they have a considerably longer warm-up time, and the lap time can be as much as a second longer than that of a car on a set of Soft tyres.
RESUMING:
STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES
SOFT. Ideal for aggressive strategies, fast lap times and use during qualifying.
MEDIUM. Versatile, suitable for different racing conditions and good for mixed strategies.
HARD. Suitable for conservative strategies where consistency and durability are paramount.
STRATEGIC DISADVANTAGES
SOFT. More pit stops due to faster wear.
MEDIUM. May not perform optimally under certain conditions.
HARD. Less grip, which can result in slower lap times and challenges when overtaking.
* Wim Otten follows, analyzes and interprets developments in the world of cars and mobility, working as chief editor and content specialist at Buro N11, the “authority on mobility”.
