The 2017 British GP, which marks the halfway point of the current Formula One championship, is scheduled to take place this weekend at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire in England. Pirelli racing manager, Mario Isola, previews the tenth round of the Formula 1 season from the tyres management point of view, as the next race will feature the P Zero White medium, P Zero Yellow soft, and P Zero Red
supersoft tyres: a change to the original nomination of hard, medium and soft.
This change was decided as a result of the information gained from previous races, and it marks the first time that the supersoft has been seen at the British Grand Prix. The Silverstone track is well-known for placing heavy demands on tyres, due to the quite an abrasive surface and plenty of high-speed corners that put a lot of energy through the tyres. With it being a home race for so many of the teams, there is always a unique atmosphere at Silverstone thanks also to the passionate and knowledgeable British fans.
Pirelli racing manager Mario Isola comments on what to expect at the 2017 British GP: “The decision to bring softer tyres to Silverstone than we had originally planned was taken by Pirelli, but with the full approval of the drivers, FIA, teams and promoters, who have appreciated what we are trying to do with this more aggressive nomination. This should open up extra possibilities for different strategies and push teams towards more
than one pit stop, although we will obviously have a better idea of exact wear and degradation rates when we get there, especially with the supersoft that makes its
Silverstone race debut. With Silverstone being among the most demanding tracks for tyres of the entire season, it will be interesting to see how one of the softest tyres in the 2017 range performs there. A lot will depend on the weather: in the past, we have seen an extremely wide range of conditions and temperatures” – Mario Isola explained.
2017 British GP – The Silverstone Circuit from a tyre point of view:
– Silverstone is all about lateral energy, thanks to high-speed corners like Becketts. With a softer tyre selection than ever seen before, more than one pit stop is likely.
– British weather is famously variable: anything from sunshine to rain is possible.
– The abrasive surface offers high levels of grip, which becomes even more demanding for the tyres.
– The straights are generally short, so the cars run reasonably high downforce levels.
– Track is intensively used during the year, so the surface tends to rubber in very fast from the first practice session on Friday.
– Logistically, it is an easy race given the fact that Pirelli’s Didcot motorsport facility is only 30 minutes away
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