By choosing two different formations, Pirelli hopes that this will provide different strategies. This should make the two races on the same circuit more exciting. For the Austrian GP, which will take place this week, the C3, C4 and C5 compound will be available, which are the softest compounds. The first expectations are that a one-stopper was the ideal strategy during the Steiermark GP. At the Austrian GP, there is a chance of a two-stop due to the use of the softest compounds.
However, it’s unlikely we’ll get a very different Austrian Grand Prix compared to the Styrian Grand Prix.
Because Austria opened the season last year, the racing was a little more frantic and as a result there were safety car interruptions, but most of that had died down by a week later. Last weekend’s race was a rather processional affair, particularly at the front of the field, where the top two places never changed hands. Only Charles Leclerc’s amazing recovery drive provided fans with some entertaining moments at the Red Bull Ring.
It’s possible that the one-stop strategy will become less favourable than the two-stop for Red Bull and Mercedes now the C5 tyre will be available, but given they’re likely to have a huge advantage over everyone else regardless, is that even going to make traffic after pit stops an issue for them if the midfield goes for the same strategy?
The variation of teams’ strategies in Friday practice makes it difficult to draw reliable pictures of who will be quickest come qualifying the next day, and that will be even more the case than usual this weekend as Pirelli brings new rear tyres for all teams to use.
It’s not clear what performance differential the revised model of the C3 has, if any, but by running it during practice it reduces teams’ time on the C5 tyre that’s only been used on street circuits so far in 2021. And the two Friday sessions this year are only each an hour long.
As the C5 is the likely starting tyre for many of the midfield teams that wouldn’t be confident enough to get through to Q3 on the C4 soft, the data deficit from Friday could lead to a really exciting Saturday practice session and then a mixed up qualifying – particularly as we don’t yet know the minimum tyre pressures for this event.
If the trial is successful, then it is planned for the revised C3 to be brought to the British GP along with the unchanged front tyres to be used in the grand prix. Silverstone is one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar for tyre use, and has been the scene of many of Pirelli’s tyre failures in the past, an issue it wants to prevent.
Will the rain which was repeatedly tipped but failed to materialise last weekend finally arrive?
After a very warm mid-week, significantly cooler air will move into the Spielberg later this week and make the cars higher (no pun intended) performing machines in the Styrian Alps.
It will minimise the loss of engine performance that occurs at altitude, and change the game when it comes to putting temperature into the tyres and then managing them over a race distance. More power, more downforce and more grip not only means faster lap times but also less sliding, so better tyre management.
On the C3 tyre being used at both Red Bull Ring races, Ricciardo and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jnr were able to go 41 laps before pitting in the Styrian GP, and while such a lengthy stint would be under consideration by more drivers now, it might get overlooked anyway at the Austrian GP if the cooler conditions enable drivers on the faster C5 tyre to run for longer.
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