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A new season, with brand new
tyre rules that are among the most revolutionary in recent history. The
teams get more choice, which should lead to more variation and at least two
pit stops per race.
THE CIRCUIT FROM A TYRE POINT OF VIEW:
= Albert Park is a street circuit, making it especially ‘green’ and dirty at
the start of
the weekend.
= It’s all about acceleration and braking: the longitudinal forces are
greater than the
lateral ones.
= There are lots of slow corners, so the emphasis is on mechanical grip and
high downforce.
= Turn 8 (a right-hander) is fast, like the long left-hander between Clark
and Waite
grandstands.
= The left-rear tyre is worked hardest – so that is the one the drivers have
to look after.
= Weather is always unpredictable: there’s been bright sunshine and
torrential rain
in the past.
= The asphalt is reasonably smooth, so tyre wear and degradation is
comparatively low.
THE THREE NOMINATED COMPOUNDS:
= White medium: a low working range compound that is one of the most
versatile in the range.
= Yellow soft: a high working range compound with the accent on performance.
= Red supersoft: a low working range compound that is rapid but with a
limited overall life.
HOW IT WAS A YEAR AGO:
= Winner: Hamilton (one stop: started on soft, changed to medium on lap 25).
= Best-placed alternative strategy: Hulkenberg (two stops: started on soft,
changed
to medium on lap 21, changed to soft on lap 44). Finished seventh from 14th
on the grid.
= Most drivers stopped just once, with strategies affected by an early
safety car.
PAUL HEMBERY, PIRELLI MOTORSPORT DIRECTOR:
= “With far reaching changes to tyre regulations compared to 2015, we expect
strategy options to have extended considerably, with more possibilities open
not only to each team but also every individual driver. In fact, the
tactical decisions for Albert Park already began last year, as each team
nominated their tyres: only recently, like a poker game, did everyone have
to finally show their hand. By Sunday afternoon in Melbourne, we’ll see who
made the right choices.”. |
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