|
P Zero Silver and P Zero Yellow for
the Heat of India
WHAT’S THE STORY?
Formula One comes to India for only the second time this weekend, and
just like last year Pirelli will bring the P Zero Silver hard and P Zero
Yellow soft tyres. However, these compounds are softer compared to their
equivalents last year, and with a better knowledge of the Buddh circuit plus
some real data, Pirelli can afford to be less conservative this time – which
should lead to even closer racing.
Compared to the last grand prix in Korea, where Pirelli brought its two
softest compounds, India places heavy demands on the tyres. This is due to a
number of factors, starting off with the high ambient temperatures in excess
of 30 degrees centigrade. The track layout also takes in several fast
corners that put plenty of lateral energy through the tyres: in particular
the banked turn 10, which is similar to the famous turn 8 in Turkey. The
front-left tyre is subjected to an acceleration of 4g on the exit of the
corner, where maximum grip is required to hold the racing line, but the
tyres are actually under full lateral load for six seconds during the
corner, which increases wear.
At the beginning of the lap in particular, there are some notable elevation
changes that exert vertical forces on the tyres as well, combined with a
braking force of 3.6g into turn 4. The main straight, which is more than a
kilometre long, is one of the longest of the year: while tyre tread
temperature peaks at over 100 degrees centigrade during the course of the
lap, it tends to cool down considerably by the end of the straight.
As the circuit is not used extensively during the course of the year, a high
degree of track evolution is expected over the weekend. A dirty track causes
excessive wheelspin as the cars struggle for grip: this also increases tyre
wear. Generally though, the surface of the Buddh circuit is quite smooth,
which means that degradation is contained.
Pirelli’s motorsport director says:
Paul Hembery: “There was an amazing atmosphere and an extremely warm welcome
at the Indian Grand Prix for us last year, so we’re all looking forward to
going back. This year we know a little more about the track so we’ve made a
less conservative choice, with the hard and the soft tyres striking exactly
the right balance between performance and durability. The circuit layout is
one of the toughest that our tyres will face throughout the second half of
the season and it’s also the last time that we will see the hard and soft
combination this year, which was previously used in Barcelona, Britain and
Japan – which gives you some idea about the demands of this circuit. The
Buddh circuit has been specifically designed to encourage overtaking, which
is also one of the objectives behind the design philosophy of our tyres, so
we should be set for an action-packed race at a crucial point in the
championship.”
The men behind the steering wheel say:
Narain Karthikeyan (HRT): “Last year the tyre choice was understandably a
bit conservative, but with all compounds slightly softer for 2012 and the
track in fantastic shape, it may be a different story this time. The layout
is a great mix, which makes it challenging for the tyres as there are very
few conventional corners, barring turn 1 and maybe the final corner. The
first gear exit at turn 3 punishes the rears if you are impatient with the
throttle. At turns 5-6 you are turning and scrubbing off a lot of speed
simultaneously so it’s easy to test the limits of the track at the exit.
There are a couple of fifth gear direction changes as well, with the esses
of turns 8-9 and 13-14 negotiated at well over 200kph. Finally there’s the
seemingly unending turn 10, where you have steering lock on for over six
seconds while the minimum corner speed is just under 200kph, putting
tremendous energy into the front-left. So overall, it’s a fairly busy lap
but since the surface isn’t abrasive, wear shouldn’t be issue. We’ll have to
wait until the Friday sessions to find out what we can expect in long runs
with both compounds. The goal would be to see how the softs perform on high
fuel. Obviously this is the most anticipated race on the calendar for me,
there is already a great buzz around the event considering that the
championship is still wide open and I hope all drivers and F1 personnel
relish the Indian experience.”
Pirelli’s test driver says:
Jaime Alguersuari: “I think that the layout of the Buddh circuit is one of
the best in Formula One, and it also happens to be one of the toughest on
the tyres. I’ve got good memories of the track personally too: last year I
finished eighth after a good qualifying as well. You get this interesting
combination of low, medium and high speed corners, as well as long
straights. A lot of the corners are quite unusual: for example we have a
chicane right at the end of the lap that we take in fifth gear, which
doesn’t happen very often! What puts the biggest stress on the tyres in
India is the fact that many of the corners are very long, so there is a
sustained lateral load with some fast changes of direction as well. You need
all the grip you can get and there is a risk of graining as well if you do
not manage the tyres properly. The hard and the soft tyres are a very good
choice here – the hard will be perfect to race on – and I think that a
one-stop strategy could be possible if you look after the tyres in the
correct way.”
Technical tyre notes:
There was a performance gap of up to two seconds per lap between the two
nominated compounds last year, but this year the gap should be a lot
smaller, allowing the majority of the front-runners to get through Q1 on the
hard tyre.
The asphalt of the Buddh international circuit was brand new last year, but
one year on the characteristics of the surface may have evolved. A new
circuit gradually releases oils from within the asphalt, which forms a
slippery layer on the track surface. Over time however this film gradually
disappears, giving it more grip and making it more abrasive.
The pit lane in India is one of the longest in Formula One at around 600
metres. This leads to a relatively significant time loss when changing
tyres, which is an important factor when considering the race strategy.
Pirelli in India:
Pirelli India is based in Delhi, the host city of the Indian Grand Prix.
Sales of Ultra High Performance Pirelli road car tyres in India have enjoyed
a large increase this year, on the back of Pirelli’s participation in
Formula One, and the company is also strongly represented in the country’s
motorbike sector (with the Sport Demon tyre) and the commercial vehicle
market.
The Indian tyre market is worth an estimated $2.5-3 billion US dollars and
is growing at around 15% per year. Pirelli does not currently have a factory
in India, but it has set up a collaboration with Indian tyre firm Birla,
which produces around 1.5 million units annually from its plant in Orissa.
Indian supermodel Lakshmi Menon, born in Bangalore, starred in the 2011
Pirelli calendar – which was shot in Paris and launched in Mosco.
Other news from Pirelli:
Pirelli-backed Peugeot Italia driver Paolo Andreucci has claimed his sixth
Italian Rally Championship title on the Sanremo Rally in Italy, using the
latest evolution of Pirelli’s RX rally tyres. The event was won by
Giandomenico Basso, also using Pirelli tyres on a Ford Fiesta RRC.
Lotus GP2 driver Esteban Gutierrez was the winner of Pirelli’s inaugural
award for the best tyre management during the season. The Mexican was
selected for the award, which was presented on a boat in Paris, by a panel
of international Formula One and GP2 journalists.
Pirelli has been selected by German manufacturer BMW to provide original
equipment tyres for two of its most powerful new SUV models: the X5 and the
X6. Pirelli was also selected as the exclusive tyre partner for McLaren’s
new P1 sports car, which was revealed at the Paris Motor Show. |
