Pirelli has selected the P Zero White hard (C2), P Zero Yellow medium (C3), and P Zero Red soft (C4) as the three compounds for the first of three grands prix to be held in the United States this year, taking place in Miami. The circuit features 19 mostly slow corners and three straights, which moderately strain the tires. Given the typically high track temperatures, which reached 59°C last year, the decision was made to use the middle-range compounds instead of the softer options.
During the 2022 race, the medium and hard compounds were the most frequently used, with most drivers only making one pit stop. Safety cars were deployed twice, leading some teams to take advantage of the situation and make a second pit stop.
In 2022, the Miami circuit made its debut on the calendar and snakes around the Hard Rock Stadium, where the paddock will be established this year. The team hospitality units will be situated on the American football field, which is usually used by the Miami Dolphins.
The track has been resurfaced ahead of the 2023 race, spanning 5.41 kilometers, and Pirelli engineers will inspect it during a track evaluation carried out on Wednesday during the race week. The previous surface was made up of limestone and granite and had been washed with powerful jets of water. The impact of the new surface is unknown.
This year’s Formula 1 calendar’s first consecutive race weekends are the Azerbaijan and Miami Grands Prix, which present a particular challenge due to the eight-hour time difference between Baku and the United States’ Atlantic coast.
While the teams had little opportunity to test their cars’ updates in Baku due to the new Sprint format, Miami’s more traditional schedule will include three free practice sessions ahead of qualifying and the race.
Miami’s weather is unpredictable, and there is always the possibility of heavy rainfall. The 2022 Formula One event was fortunate enough to avoid rainfall, which occurred only during the grid assembly. With high temperatures, the track dried up before the race began. Nonetheless, the possibility of downpours must be considered.
“This weekend, Formula 1 will race in Miami for the first of three rounds in the United States on this year’s calendar, along with the now-traditional event in Austin and the much-awaited race in Las Vegas. It is not the first time that the championship has had three grands prix take place in the US in the same year, but never before have we seen our sport make such an impact with the American public, and this is largely thanks to the commitment made by Liberty Media. In the first race held on the track around the Hard Rock Stadium last year, the tyres behaved as expected on asphalt which had rather particular characteristics, above all due to a very high “micro-roughness”. We know that the track has now been completely resurfaced and we will have to check during the usual inspection that precedes the start of the weekend if there will be any significant changes in its characteristics. The Miami track requires average downforce levels, as it features a wide variety of corners but also a very long straight. We have brought the middle tyres in the range (C2, C3, and C4), also due to the fact that we can expect very high temperatures: last year the asphalt reached almost 60°C.” – Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola explained in the official Pirelli preview of the Miami Grand Prix.
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