Formula 1 is set to kick off the American leg of the 2023 season at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, the venue for the United States Grand Prix.
For the 19th event of the Formula 1 season, Pirelli will bring the following tire compounds:
– Pirelli PZero White Hard C2
– Pirelli PZero Yellow Medium C3
– Pirelli PZero Red Soft C4
The Italian tire supplier has opted for an intermediate choice, considering that the tire range created for 2023 ranges from C0 – the hardest compound – to C5, the softest.
Tires on the track
Medium and Hard compounds were the two tires used during last year’s Grand Prix. Max Verstappen, the race winner, started and finished on mediums, using hard tires for the middle stint. There were two safety car periods during the race.
For the first time, Austin will have a weekend with the “Sprint” format. Therefore, there will be only one hour of free practice and qualifying on Friday, the F1 Sprint, preceded by the mini Qualifying Shootout, will take place on Saturday, and the Grand Prix will be held on Sunday.
This weekend’s event will be the seventy-fifth Grand Prix to be held in the United States. There have been a total of eleven American venues that have hosted Formula 1 races: Watkins Glen (20) has hosted the most, followed by Indianapolis (19).
Austin will host its eleventh Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton has won on five occasions. The most recent victory was in 2017. Ten years earlier, in 2007, Lewis won his first Formula 1 race at the United States Grand Prix, which was held at Indianapolis at the time.
Some corners at the Circuit of the Americas, designed by Hermann Tilke, are inspired by famous corners from other historic tracks. Corners 3 to 6, for example, resemble Silverstone’s Maggotts and Becketts, corners 12 to 15 are inspired by a section of the Hockenheimring, and turns 16 to 18 are reminiscent of Turn 8 at the Istanbul Park.
For the first time, the F1 Academy will be present in Austin along with its older sibling. The Pirelli-shod women’s series will have three races on the Texan track and will crown its first champion. Currently, Marta García (Prema Racing) leads the standings with 235 points, followed by Lena Buhler (ART Grand Prix) with 187 points and Hamda Al Qubaisi (MP Motorsport) with 179 points.
U.S. Grand Prix: Comment from Mario Isola
“The Austin race marks the beginning of a series of four races, the first three of which are consecutive, in the Americas. The first stop is the United States Grand Prix, a country with an extraordinary tradition in motorsport, but Formula 1 has only recently made headway here, thanks to the initiatives implemented by Liberty Media in various areas.”
“The Circuit of the Americas has hosted the Grand Prix since 2012, with the exception of 2020 when the race was canceled due to COVID-19. It is a complete track with medium-to-high aerodynamic load. The first corner is a characteristic left-hander that comes at the top of a steep 22-meter ascent over 200 linear meters, causing the drivers to fan out after the start, seeking the best line. It is followed by a very flowing section with a sequence of medium-speed corners that leads to the hairpin of Turn 11, followed by a long straight that leads to the final part of the circuit, where slow and ninety-degree corners are abundant.”
“In terms of tire forces, lateral forces dominate this track, and they are well balanced between the front and rear axles, without putting excessive stress on a specific corner of the car. Good traction in the slow corners is important. Despite some resurfacing work carried out last year in some areas, the asphalt remains rather uneven, which leads to minor tire sliding, potentially resulting in unusual tire overheating. Typically, thermal degradation occurs at this track, while graining is a relatively rare phenomenon. Texas has always hosted races in the autumn season when weather conditions are highly variable, even over short periods. There is often a mix of hot sunny days and rain, along with significant temperature fluctuations.”
“This year, the Austin event will debut the ‘Sprint’ format: an additional entertainment opportunity for an audience that is becoming increasingly fond of contemporary Formula 1.”
Minimum starting pressures (slick tires)
Front: 23.0 psi
Rear: 20.0 psi
Maximum camber
Front: -3.00°
Rear: -1.75°
Leave a Reply