For the penultimate round of the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship, the teams arrive in Sao Paulo, Brazil, at the Josè Carlos Pace circuit, known among fans as the Interlagos circuit.
The track is 4,309 meters long, for a total of 15 corners and is run counterclockwise. Its location is very particular because, being placed between two artificial lakes, the ground is not very solid and has bumps as well as an asphalt that is not well leveled.
Two straights distinguish the circuit, the one at the finish line and the one between Curva do Sol, turn 3, and the Descida do Lago, turn 4, while the rest of the circuit is quite twisty with many turns in succession, especially in the second sector, which stress the tires, especially the front right.
Despite being high up, at about 700 meters above sea level, there are no significant problems related to the less dense air, as happened in the recent race at the 4.304-kilometre Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City held at an altitude of 2,200 meters.
As shown by the graph made by the MegaRide technicians, which highlights the temperature reached by the four tires in one lap on the track, the tires most stressed from a thermal point of view are those on the right, especially in turn 3, after the Senna S, turn 4 and turn 11/12.
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The left-hand tires, on the other hand, show no criticality as they are stressed more only between Turn 6 and Turn 8.
In the graph below, the MegaRide technicians carried out the analysis of the thermal energies related to the longitudinal and lateral loads in three peculiar corners of the circuit. The longitudinal friction power is slightly predominant compared to the lateral one, especially in the first sector, as in turn 1/2, and also in turn 4.
The lateral loads are more important in the second sector, as in corner 9, although these are not very high loads, given the shortness of the folds.
In summary, the Brazilian track is characterized by medium lateral loads, with a very light and more pronounced longitudinal component that favors greater engagement in the traction / braking phase compared to the cornering phase, limited to the second sector on very short sections.
Pirelli has chosen the C2, C3 and C4 compounds for the Brazilian race, that is the medium set of the range of tires, which should guarantee greater adaptability to temperatures, that are potentially very variable: the track temperature can be among the highest of the year and it has not been uncommon in past years to have extreme weather situations, with torrential rains.
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