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TRACK CHARACTERISTICS
- The track was resurfaced last year, which changed its previously bumpy and
abrasive nature. However, the surface has since matured, making it more
similar to how it was previously.
- Although the teams had a free choice of all the 2019 P Zero Formula 1 tyre
range for pre-season testing, they tended to concentrate on the softer
compounds (more commonly used during the year). So they may be missing a bit
of data on the hard and the medium.
- Barcelona is a good all-round test for a car and tyres, which is why it is
so often used for testing: the famous Turn 3 takes the most energy out of
the tyres, while the front-left is the most stressed.
- Last year, the race was won with a one-stopper: the same strategy being
used by all the top three. Lewis Hamilton claimed victory for Mercedes after
starting on the soft tyre and moving onto the medium. There were also some
two-stoppers and three-stoppers.
- This year’s C1 compound is slightly softer than the 2018 hard, with the C2
being roughly equivalent to the 2018 medium and C3 to the 2018 soft. The
selection for this year’s Spanish Grand Prix has been made to enable drivers
to push hard from the start to the finish of each stint in what are likely
to be warm conditions, without resorting to pace management. |
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MARIO ISOLA - HEAD OF CAR
RACING
“There are very few mysteries about Barcelona for the teams, especially this
year as the pre-season tests were held in quite good weather conditions that
should be more representative of the season. However, a number of teams are
planning on bringing some car upgrades, so it will be interesting to see the
effect of those on tyre behaviour, together with the continued evolution of
the new track surface, which we already noted earlier this year. Even in
pre-season testing, the cars were incredibly quick out of the box here, so
this could be yet another race like last year in Spain where more lap
records fall.”
OTHER PIRELLI NEWS
- The top three teams have all made different tyre nominations, suggesting a
varied tactical approach. Ferrari has made the most aggressive selection,
choosing more soft tyres, but both their drivers and those of Mercedes have
made slightly different selections to their team mates.
- On the Tuesday and Wednesday after the Spanish Grand Prix, the second
in-season test of the year will take place. Ferrari and Racing Point will
each run a second car for Pirelli to assess 2020 prototype tyres. This will
be a ‘blind’ test, so the drivers (yet to be announced) will not know
exactly what they are testing.
- The brand new Formula 3 – replacing GP3 – makes its debut in Spain, along
with Formula 2. This features an entirely new car, complete with bespoke new
tyres developed by Pirelli. Lap speeds should be broadly similar, but the
way the car delivers its performance is more closely aligned with F2 and F1. |
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