Formula 1 heads to Japan for the second half of the double-header in the Far East, after two years in which the events could not take place due to Covid-19 restrictions. The Suzuka circuit is therefore ready to return on the Formula 1 calendar, much to the delight of drivers and fans, as the Japanese racing circuit is known to be a favourite with all the drivers, thanks to its famous figure-of-eight layout.
Carlos Galbally Herrero, Ferrari Head of Tyre Science, previews the next round of the 2022 Formula One season, the Japanese Grand Prix and explains the Maranello team’s Suzuka approach in terms of tyre management:
How did your journey with Ferrari begin? Where does your passion for motorsport come from?
Carlos Galbally Herrero: “My journey with Ferrari started back in 2016, although I guess you could say it’s been in the making for a lot longer than that. I’ve always been passionate about engineering and cars, so after finishing my Mechanical Engineering degree in Spain I moved to Germany where there is a bigger tradition in car manufacturing and therefore more engineering opportunities. After some years in the road car industry, I was fortunate enough to be able to take the step into Formula 1 with Sauber. After an intense period in Switzerland, I was given the option to move to Italy to work for the biggest name in the business, and the decision was more than clear”.
What is the Suzuka track like from a tyre point of view?
Carlos Galbally Herrero: “It’s a very high energy track, characterised by its high speed sections with frequent changes of direction. It is an anomaly in the season in terms of left-to-right energy distribution, being the most symmetric track of the year (with as much energy turning left as you have turning right). Due to the high energy content, Pirelli brings the three hardest compounds available (C1/C2/C3), which is actually the least common combination, only used at five races, with Japan being the last of them. Tyre wear rates are on the high side, because of the long combined corners, while the track abrasion level is typically on the medium to high side. The combination of all these factors, along with the unpredictable weather, makes Suzuka an intense test for every aspect of tyre management”.
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How do you approach the Japanese Grand Prix in terms of tyre management?
Carlos Galbally Herrero: “As with other high energy tracks, such as Spain, Silverstone or Holland, it will be important to get the right balance between warm-up over one lap and avoiding overstressing the tyres on the long runs, which always requires some compromises between Qualifying and the race. The FP2 long runs will also be of critical importance, as they provide the best chance to collect data needed for tyre race management. This helps us give indications to the drivers and always plays a critical role in deciding on the best target strategy. On this topic, the reduced amount of free practice time introduced this year poses some challenges, which we are overcoming through ever more accurate pre-event simulation preparation”.
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