Formula One is ready for the ninth round of the championship, the 2017 Austrian Grand Prix, a race which has been previewed by Pirelli from the point of view of the tyres and what we can expect on the Red Bull Ring. The track has some characteristics in common with the succession of low-grip circuits that have come immediately before it, with a slippery surface and relatively contained lateral forces. However, as opposed to Azerbaijan, Canada and Monaco, it is an entirely permanent venue: a chopped down version of the mythical Osterreichring. This gives the track an old-school feel, and a lot of it is visible from any vantage point; it’s one of the shortest laps of the year. The three softest tyres in Pirelli’s Formula 1 range will be used in Austria: P Zero Yellow soft, P Zero Red supersoft and P Zero Purple ultrasoft. These should be well-suited to the rollercoaster Spielberg layout, providing the right compromise between warm-up, performance and durability.
Key points from a tyre point of view:
– Track was entirely resurfaced in 2016: it is one of the smoothest surfaces of the year.
– Tyre nominations are the same as last year: both one and two stops could be possible.
– The local geography means there is a high risk of uncertain weather all weekend.
– Some graining was seen last year on ultrasoft but this is very unlikely with the new generation 2017 tyres, with almost zero graining so far this season.
– The first two sectors are fast and flowing, the final sector is slower and more technical.
– There is plenty of elevation, including some tricky uphill braking that is easy to get wrong.
Pirelli racing manager, Mario Isola, previews the next race from the tyre management point of view and the track specifications of the Red Bull Ring: “The natural selection for this type of circuit is the three softest compounds in the range. Having said that, we have seen in the past that Austria also has the capability to spring a few surprises. When we get there we will see if one stops or two are more likely, but it will be important for teams to build some flexibility into the strategies as well. Longitudinal forces – so traction and braking – are the key aspects in Austria, rather than cornering. In spite of that, there is still a good chance of the lap record coming down, as we saw in Baku.” – Mario Isola said, as reported by the Italian media on Wednesday.
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