Pirelli race strategies: “1 or 2 stops with intermediates, pressures will be key” | F1 Brazil GP. Pirelli reacts to race strategies for 2024 F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Rain is dominating in Brazil, promising a fully wet race. This removes the requirement to use at least two different slick compounds, but that doesn’t mean the Grand Prix will lack a strategic element. Teams will need to make the right choice of tire pressures, balancing grip with aquaplaning prevention. Pirelli’s Chief Engineer, Simone Berra, explains the outlook just hours before the lights go out.

Intermediate as the race tire
As has often happened in the past, Pirelli considers it unlikely that the full wet tire will be used in the race, not only due to visibility issues. “If the rain is similar to this morning, the intermediate will be the race tire, unless there are especially heavy rain phases,” Simone Berra explains. “The intermediate also performed well in qualifying laps, with no major abrasion from the new asphalt and only moderate wear. There is some thermal degradation, but with enough standing water, it could extend the stint on the intermediate.”

The Italian supplier does, however, consider at least one tire change inevitable: “If it rains for the entire race, there’s always the question of whether to do a single or a double pit stop. It will depend greatly on the amount of water on track. With more water, a single stop may be possible, while with a drying track that may get wet again, a two-stop strategy might be preferable. The full wet tire doesn’t seem ideal for racing. In qualifying, it worked well with a lot of standing water, but in longer stints, it tends to overheat.” – he pointed out ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The key factor
With only one intermediate compound available, strategy will mainly hinge on selecting the correct inflation pressure. “This is crucial in these conditions,” confirms Pirelli’s Chief Engineer. “Depending on the track temperature and water levels, it’s advantageous to raise or lower the pressures accordingly. Engineers face a challenge in achieving optimal performance in changing conditions. When there’s a lot of water on the track, higher pressures are better, as they open the tread blocks a bit and help evacuate water. Lower pressures provide a larger contact patch but don’t clear as much water, increasing the risk of aquaplaning.”

“In qualifying, some teams went with pressures higher than our minimum recommendations, while others stayed at the baseline. Either way, this made a difference,” reveals Berra. “In the race, pressures will be a key factor. I expect fewer teams to use high pressures, as this causes greater thermal degradation over longer stints, leading to more sliding. Therefore, I expect most teams will be closer to our minimum pressures during the race. Otherwise, it should be an interesting race, as the asphalt is not in ideal condition with the rain. The recently resurfaced track has a lot of bitumen and oil, reducing grip. A wet race will be interesting, as driver skill will play a big role here.”

Too much graining for the soft
Though unlikely, forecasts don’t completely rule out the possibility of the track drying during the race. In that case, however, Pirelli advises against using the soft tire: “If there is a dry window, it will be interesting to see which compound teams choose. Track temperatures aren’t as high as in previous days, when we saw up to 50-55°C. I’d rule out the soft tire because it tends to suffer from graining on a track with so little rubber. Teams will need to assess whether the medium or hard would be better, considering that the track has been fully reset and washed by the rain over the past two days,” Simone Berra concludes.