|
Going back to Hockenheim isn’t
exactly like visiting a new circuit – as the German track is an established
venue – but this year that is almost the case, as the last time an F1 race
was held there was in 2014, the first season of the new hybrid era. Since
then, there has been plenty of car evolution. As a result, we can expect lap
times that are considerably quicker than they were two years ago, with a
consequent increased demand on tyres. Pirelli has nominated the medium, soft
and supersoft tyres for Germany (the same as for the previous weekend in
Hungary): introducing a harder option compared to Hockenheim in 2014, when
just the soft and the supersoft compounds were chosen.
THE CIRCUIT FROM A TYRE POINT OF VIEW:
- There’s a bit of everything, with fast straights as well as a more
technical stadium section.
- Weather is hard to predict: on Saturday in 2014 ambient temperatures
peaked at 38 degrees.
- There’s a very smooth track surface in Hockenheim, which helps to limit
wear and degradation.
- It’s important to look after the rear tyres, as there is lots of
acceleration out of slow corners.
- As well as traction, braking is another key aspect: tyres are subject to
maximum deceleration.
- Turn 5 puts a lot of energy through the tyres: a fast left-hander taken
almost as a straight line.
THE THREE NOMINATED COMPOUNDS:
- White medium: a mandatory set that must be available for the race, low
working range.
- Yellow soft: another mandatory set whose versatility will make it a
popular race tyre.
- Red supersoft: will be used for qualifying and the early part of race:
again low working range.
HOW IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO:
- Nico Rosberg won his home race with a two-stop strategy. He started on
supersoft and then changed to soft on laps 15 and 41. The supersoft was
around a second per lap faster than soft.
- Best alternative strategy: His team mate Lewis Hamilton finished third
with a three-stop sprint strategy, making up 17 places after starting 20th
on the grid following an accident in qualifying.
PAUL HEMBERY, PIRELLI MOTORSPORT DIRECTOR:
“Hockenheim will be a bit of an unknown quantity: we’ve not raced there for
two years, and even before then it was a race that alternated with the
Nurburgring, so everybody is lacking historical data compared to other
venues we visit. The cars are obviously going a lot quicker than they were
in 2014, which is why we have introduced a tyre nomination that is a step
harder compared to last time. The most notable feature of that 2014 race was
the variable weather: on race day track temperatures were 20 degrees cooler
than they had been on the very hot qualifying day. With the German Grand
Prix taking place at the same time of year again, there is obviously the
potential for similar variation.”
WHAT’S NEW?
- There have been no significant alterations to the track and infrastructure
since 2014.
- The day after the German GP, testing of tyres in 2017 size starts with
Ferrari at Fiorano.
- For the rest of F1, the summer break begins with a two-week factory
shutdown.
OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE CAUGHT OUR EYE RECENTLY:
- Ferrari has chosen more supersofts for Germany than Mercedes and Red Bull.
- The Spa 24 Hours takes place during the same weekend as the German Grand
Prix, 320 kilometres away: Pirelli’s biggest event with 9000 tyres supplied
to a 60-strong field of cars.
- Pirelli opened P Zero World in Los Angeles: the first of a series of
global Pirelli boutiques that celebrate the brand by providing tyres for
supercars as well as a meeting point for enthusiasts. |
)
