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Just like
Monaco, Pirelli brings the PZero Yellow soft tyre and PZero Red supersoft
tyre to Montreal, one of the most demanding circuits of the year on tyres.
We find out why…
THE TRACK
Unlike Monaco, Canada is not entirely a street circuit because as well as
the normal streets on the man-made island in the St Lawrence river, there is
also section of permanent track that is open only for the purpose of racing.
The total lap length is 4.361 kilometres, repeated 70 times for the grand
prix, on a circuit that consists of extremely smooth asphalt offering
variable levels of grip.
There are six major braking points (making the track the most demanding of
the year on brakes) combined with three chicanes and four high-speed
corners. The tight section in the middle of the track is characterized by
two chicanes, a double braking area, and some rapid changes in direction –
all in the space of less than 700
metres. These extreme stresses raise the tread temperature of the tyres by
20 degrees in just 15 seconds, with a peak temperature exceeding 110°
degrees centigrade.
One of the most demanding areas of the entire lap for the car, driver and
tyres is the long hairpin bend where the cars scrub off 230 kph during the
approach – down from 290kph to just 60kph – in less than three seconds over
the space of only 130 meters.
These parameters combine to produce a vertical pressure of 1100 kilograms on
the front tyres. Entering this corner is one of the prime spots for
overtaking.
The Montreal circuit is also known for its variations in surface and nowhere
is this more evident than in the pitlane. The track surface there consists
of one section of asphalt and one of concrete, each of which provide a
different coefficient of friction, which naturally affects the amount of
rubber laid down and grip. The adaptability of the PZero compounds is
designed to ensure a consistent performance over a wide variety of surfaces.
THE STRATEGY
Getting the race strategy right has become more important than ever with the
latest generation of Formula One tyres. While the strategy depends on a
number of different factors, the most important question for teams to decide
is during which point of the race they wish to be fastest.
Opting for the quickest tyre – which usually corresponds to the softest
available compound – at the start of the race will enable drivers to make a
quick getaway and pull out an early advantage: but this may come at the
price of being overtaken by drivers who are on the quicker tyre during the
middle and final stints of a race.
Conversely, drivers who start on the harder tyre may be able to jump (or
‘undercut’) their rivals at the first pit stops in order to gain track
position, but they will come under a lot of pressure during the early phases
of the race due to their rivals making the most of the faster tyres.
At the first round of pit stops, there is another crucial decision to be
made: should the driver move onto a different type of tyre to the one on
which he started or duplicate his original choice? Going onto a different
choice creates more flexibility in the strategy, as the rules state that you
have to use each nomination at least once. If, by contrast, you duplicate
the choice with which you started then you have to make one more stop.
Teams use complex computer programmes to simulate their race speeds using
different strategies, but one thing that these systems cannot take into
account is the strategies that other people are adopting and the likelihood
of being blocked, either by slower competitors, the nature of the circuit,
or racing incidents such as accidents and safety cars.
Teams study the likelihood of such occurrences carefully (Canada, for
example, has a 67% probability of a safety car appearance) and these have a
major influence on the strategy. The weather is also a big factor, as the
arrival of rain often sends most strategies out of the window.
How easy the track is to overtake on forms an integral part of the strategy,
and unlike Monaco, Canada presents a number of passing opportunities, which
means that the teams can afford to use a more adventurous strategy if it
suits them, as opposed to Monaco, where the lack of passing places tends to
lead to more conservative strategies.
Ultimately, the key ingredient to every strategy is flexibility. The teams
with the most reactive tacticians often score the top results, as they are
able to respond in real time to unforeseen events and the initiatives from
their rivals. With Pirelli’s new range of PZero tyres providing another
exciting but changeable element to the races this year, speed of reaction is
more vital than ever. |
