F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025: What are the tire methods accessible for the drivers?

Max Verstappen surprised the sector to take pole place for the Method 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

However the job will not be achieved for the Crimson Bull driver.

He, together with everybody else, spent Saturday evening in Jeddah pouring by the info to provide you with the very best tire technique choices for Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Let’s run by the choices.

What occurred on the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix?

Final season’s race on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit was a reasonably boring affair.

Not solely was it the second race of the 2024 F1 season — when Crimson Bull and Max Verstappen had been at their most dominant — however Lance Stroll’s crash on Lap 7 introduced out an early Security Automobile and introduced the grid into the pits. With a lot of the discipline beginning on the medium C3 compound, a lot of the grid switched to the C2 arduous compound, working the remainder of the way in which on that tire.

Some drivers went with a distinct technique, most notably Lando Norris, Nico Hülkenberg, and Lewis Hamilton. These three began on the medium compound however stayed out when Stroll’s crash introduced out the Security Automobile, choosing up observe place and betting on extra chaos.

However when that intervention by no means arrived, all three dipped into the pits within the closing levels to make their obligatory tire change. Hülkenberg made his cease on Lap 33 and switched to a set of arduous tires, in the end ending tenth.

Subsequent to pit was Hamilton, who stopped on Lap 36. Stopping that late allowed Hamilton to go the gap on the gentle tire, which was the identical technique Norris used, who pitted a lap afterward Lap 37. Each drivers completed inside the highest ten, however couldn’t get by rookie tremendous sub Oliver Bearman, who was making his debut for Ferrari rather than Carlos Sainz Jr. and was working on the arduous tires that the staff bolted on throughout his cease underneath the Security Automobile.

What are the really helpful methods this 12 months?

Once more, Pirelli expects this race to be a one-stop affair. Final 12 months the medium-hard technique was the popular format, and that’s probably the bulk strategy this 12 months.

Notably, Pirelli has gone a step softer with the tires this 12 months, choosing the C3, C4, and C5 compounds. So whereas final 12 months the groups that went medium-hard used the C3 after which the C2, this season that strategy would use the C4 and the C3.

Nonetheless, the tires have held up effectively on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit this week, and whereas Pirelli thought going a step softer with the compounds would carry a two-stop technique into play, they concede that the strong nature of the tires this 12 months means a one-stop remains to be on the desk.

“From what we have now seen thus far, bringing a step softer trio of compounds has not considerably altered the general image,” stated Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Director of Motorsport, after observe on Friday. “From the few significant lengthy runs within the second session, we noticed not a lot graining, and that solely on some automobiles. Moreover, it was clear right now that this phenomenon remained largely the identical from one session to the subsequent, which implies it might be an element to contemplate in relation to managing degradation through the race.

“When it comes to lap instances, the degradation stage was primarily just like final 12 months’s, or maybe simply barely greater. Subsequently, it’s arduous to see there being a significant change in technique, with the one-stop on paper the quickest route, whereas the two-stop is a little more aggressive than earlier than however not sufficiently so to be a sound various.”

As you possibly can see within the under desk from the official F1 web site, a medium-hard technique sees the pit window open round Lap 16 to Lap 22, pushing the remainder of the way in which on the arduous tire:

However additionally, you will observe another potential methods, which we’ll focus on briefly order.

What can Lando Norris attempt from P10?

Let’s begin with the present chief within the Drivers’ Championship standings.

Lando Norris entered Saturday’s qualifying session as the favourite for pole place, given his efficiency over three observe periods and the relative energy of the MCL39.

However a wobble into Flip 4 early in Q3 noticed Norris find yourself within the wall, ending any goals of pole place.

The McLaren driver will begin tenth and would possibly must roll the technique cube if he’s going to threaten for a podium, given how overtaking has confirmed troublesome in Jeddah the previous few seasons.

Norris might choose to start out on the softs, placing the softer compound to make use of over an early push stint, after which make his cease round Lap 10 to Lap 16, going the remainder of the way in which on the arduous tire. That’s Technique 4, above, and with one set of latest gentle tires accessible, this is likely to be his greatest guess.

He might additionally flip the script on the medium-hard possibility, begin on a set of the hards, and run so long as doable. Then pit round Lap 28 to 34 and use the softer medium compound, whereas the remainder of the grid round him might be on fading arduous tires.

What about drivers additional again within the discipline?

In Pirelli’s post-qualifying report, Isola famous one thing reasonably attention-grabbing. A number of drivers have two units of latest arduous tires remaining. Why would possibly this be?

The chaos issue.

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is among the quickest road circuits on the earth, and the mix of 27 corners, excessive speeds, and looming partitions punishes errors. For the reason that first Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021, there was not less than one Security Automobile every year.

Isola believes the groups which might be coming into Sunday with two recent units of hards are betting on a couple of Security Automobile making an look.

“In the case of methods, we don’t really feel the state of affairs has modified since yesterday and it’s no coincidence that, though it’s not but confirmed, the overwhelming majority of drivers, 15 of the 20 to be exact, have all saved two units of hards,” stated Isola in Pirelli’s post-qualifying report. “The C3 [hard] appears to supply the very best efficiency and, with out an excessive amount of degradation a one-stop technique is on paper the quickest approach, with the order medium-hard being favourite, pitting between Laps 14 and 20.

“There are a few the reason why many have opted to avoid wasting two units of this [C3] compound: firstly to be prepared for any doable security automobile conditions, which have typically been seen at this observe and secondly, to have a backup in case there’s a major step up in degradation tomorrow.”

As you’ll see in a second 9 of the drivers within the prime ten have two recent units of arduous tires. Solely Carlos Sainz Jr., who begins sixth, has only one recent set of the C3 compound accessible.

Close to the again of the grid two drivers — Jack Doohan in P17 and Hülkenberg in P18 — have two new units of arduous tires accessible.

As Isola frames it, if it’s a must to change to a two-stop race due to Security Automobile conditions, it’s good to have two units of arduous tires accessible.

“It’s attention-grabbing that groups determined to maintain each units of arduous,” stated Isola to the official F1 channel. “They shouldn’t be utilized in a standard state of affairs however we all know Security Automobile likelihood right here is sort of excessive, and if it’s a must to transfer from one cease to 2 stops, the arduous is the very best tire.

“I’m not saying the gentle is totally out of the sport – but when it’s a must to match one other set with 15 laps remaining, arduous is best than gentle.”

You would see drivers like Doohan and Hülkenberg in the back of the grid begin on the softs, and doubtlessly roll the cube on a two-stop technique given they every have two units of the recent arduous tires accessible.

What tires does every driver have accessible?

This graphic from F1.com illustrates the tire compounds accessible to every driver, with SN standing for “gentle new,” SU standing for “gentle used,” and so forth: