|
As Formula 1 moves from Central
to North America, the same tyre nomination has been selected for Austin as
for Mexico City: C2 as the White hard, C3 as the Yellow medium, and C4 as
the Red soft. The Circuit of the Americas, which joined F1 calendar in 2012
(just three years before Mexico) has very different characteristics to the
previous round, with a reputation of exciting and unpredictable races. The
Friday free practice sessions will be particularly important this weekend as
for the first time the teams will get a taste of the 2020 P Zero tyres. |
|
TRACK CHARACTERISTICS
* Drivers will have a chance of sample the 2020 tyres on Friday in Austin,
to next year’s specification that was defined following a number of
dedicated tests, with the final one held in Barcelona earlier this month
involving the top three teams. Each driver will get two sets of the 2020
soft compound tyres, for use during FP1 and FP2 only.
* The hardest tyre nominated for the United States Grand Prix is a step
harder than it was in 2018 (when the soft, supersoft and ultrasoft tyres
were chosen). These should help to ensure a more evenly spaced performance
gap between the three compounds.
* An ultrasoft-soft one-stopper was the winning strategy last year, courtesy
of Kimi Raikkonen for Ferrari. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was second (from
18th on the grid) with a soft-supersoft strategy, while Mercedes driver
Lewis Hamilton was third with a two-stopper.
* There’s quite a variety of corners at the anti-clockwise Circuit of the
Americas, with the uphill hairpin of Turn 1 standing out as Austin’s
signature corner.
* Wear and degradation is about average for all the circuits used during the
season, making the three tyres from the middle of the range a particularly
appropriate choice. Both the race and overall lap records date from last
year set by Lewis Hamilton.
* The weather in Texas can be extremely variable at this time of year,
ranging from bright sunshine to typhoon-like conditions that have cancelled
entire sessions in the past. |
|
MARIO ISOLA - HEAD OF CAR
RACING
“Austin has always been renowned for putting on a great show, both on and
off the track. This year, it is particularly significant, as it is where the
teams will get to sample next year’s tyres for the first time, during free
practice on Friday. This of course is just an initial taste of the 2020 C4
soft compound, before teams get to test the full homologated range of next
year’s tyres at the two-day test in December following the Abu Dhabi Grand
Prix, as usual. Austin contains a bit of everything in terms of different
types of corner, with quite representative asphalt as well, so it should be
a good place to try out these new tyres for the first time”
OTHER PIRELLI NEWS
* Both the Mercedes and Ferrari team mates have made slightly different
choices from each other for the United States Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton and
Sebastian Vettel have opted for an identical selection, but their team mates
vary. Both Red Bull drivers have made the same choice.
* The 2020 Formula 2 testing programme with 18-inch tyres continued in
France the week before the United States Grand Prix, with 207 laps completed
in wet conditions. From November 7-8, the second 18-inch Formula 1 tyre
development test will take place at Circuit Paul Ricard, with McLaren on
track.
* After Mexico, the Formula 1 Pirelli Hot Laps programme returns at the
Circuit of the Americas, with Lamborghini joining Aston Martin, McLaren and
Mercedes.
* Pirelli will also be present at the forthcoming Los Angeles F1 Festival,
which takes place in the Hollywood area from October 29-30. |
