What are the tire methods for the F1 Chinese language Grand Prix?

The Formulation 1 Chinese language Grand Prix is simply hours away, and if qualifying is any indication, followers might be in for an unbelievable race. Oscar Piastri pipped George Russell by simply 0.082 seconds to take pole place, and the McLaren driver could have teammate Lando Norris behind him when the lights exit, as Norris certified in third.

Nonetheless, whereas qualifying is all concerning the one-lap tempo on the smooth compound, the Chinese language Grand Prix will probably be all about race tempo on the mediums and the hards. All through this week tire degradation, because of the newly resurfaced circuit in Shanghai, has been a significant factor. That was the case within the F1 Dash race on Saturday, as Lewis Hamilton ran away from the sector in clear air whereas these behind him struggled to maintain their medium tires in the fitting window over simply 19 laps.

How the drivers deal with 56 laps is a totally completely different query.

Pirelli, F1’s unique tire provider, believes {that a} two-stop technique for the Chinese language Grand Prix is “compulsory,” however how every driver will get dwelling remains to be matter of debate.

Listed here are the tire methods for the Chinese language Grand Prix, in addition to what number of units of every compound the drivers have out there, and why the softs may nonetheless be in play when the lights exit. For a reminder, right here is how the grid will line up in Shanghai:

What are the tire methods for the Chinese language Grand Prix?

As famous above, tire degradation has been an enormous situation for the drivers this week. Whereas the circuit in Shanghai has been resurfaced for this season, resulting in elevated grip for the drivers, the brand new floor has additionally seen drivers tear via tires on prolonged runs. For instance, in the course of the F1 Dash race Max Verstappen was making an attempt to chase down Hamilton on the entrance, however by Lap 14 Verstappen advised his staff that his medium tires have been “useless.”

With 56 laps on faucet for Sunday, and medium tires carrying out after simply 14 laps or so, you possibly can see why Pirelli believes a two-stopper is the trail for groups to observe.

“As for technique, the extent of degradation leads us to counsel {that a} two-stop is compulsory, that includes the Medium and the Onerous,” mentioned Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Director of Motorsport, of their recap of Saturday’s motion.

Listed here are the three essential choices for groups and drivers, as outlined by Pirelli:

The 2 most well-liked methods from Pirelli function the medium and the arduous, each with groups beginning on the medium compound.

Extra on the beginning in a second.

The primary sees groups begin with the medium and swap to the arduous for the second stint, however there are alternatives out there beginning there. Within the first possibility groups will look to run round 12 to 18 laps on the arduous compound, earlier than pitting once more for an additional set of hards to go the gap.

Within the second possibility, groups begin on the mediums and swap to the hards, extending that second stint a bit to round 14 to twenty laps. Then they’d swap to the mediums on that second cease, hoping the softer rubber will permit for faster occasions over the ultimate stint, which might run round 12 to 16 laps.

That’s doable, given what we noticed over the 19-lap F1 Dash race, however would require some tire administration from the drivers. Nonetheless, that technique won’t be out there to at least one staff, which we’ll focus on in a second.

Then there may be the third technique, which has drivers begin on the softs for round 8 to 14 laps, earlier than ending with a hard-hard mixture. This is likely to be the play for groups hoping to choose up spots at first on the softer rubber, and we’ll dive into that extra in a second.

There may be additionally another choice out there to groups not proven right here, which is beginning on the hards and operating lengthy, hoping for intervention within the type of a security automotive. Drivers in the back of the grid — you Liam Lawson — may make use of this technique within the hopes of selecting up observe place as different drivers are compelled to pit early on softer compounds, after which capitalizing on any alternatives that come up.

Isola talked about that risk in Pirelli’s recap of Saturday’s motion.

“In actual fact, these beginning close to the again may go for the Onerous to increase the primary stint so long as doable, earlier than making up locations within the run of pit stops,” mentioned Isola.

Nonetheless, what tires every driver has left comes into play now.

What tires does every driver have out there for the Chinese language GP?

Listed here are the compounds every driver has out there for the Chinese language Grand Prix, in response to Pirelli:

Above we famous that one staff won’t be in place to make use of the second possibility, which is a medium-hard-medium technique.

That staff? Aston Martin. Each Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso have only one set of scrubbed mediums out there for the Chinese language Grand Prix. Provided that, they may have to make use of the primary possibility, the place they begin on these scrubbed mediums earlier than ending with a hard-hard mixture.

Or, they might be one of many groups that choose to start out on the softs, earlier than utilizing the hards to shut out the race.

Three drivers — Lawson, Nico Hülkenberg, and Esteban Ocon — every have a pair of recent mediums remaining, which supplies them some fascinating choices because the Chinese language Grand Prix unfolds.

You’ll additionally word that every driver has a pair of contemporary arduous tires out there, one other signal that the groups predict to depend on the C2 arduous tires within the Chinese language Grand Prix.

Why may the softs be in play on the Chinese language Grand Prix?

As mentioned above even with the excessive ranges of tire degradation, the smooth C4 compound may nonetheless play a job on Sunday.

Why? As a result of the excessive ranges of grip mixed with the smooth compound can play an enormous position at first, and groups hoping to choose up spots proper when the lights exit may look to the C4 compound to choose up these positions.

Pirelli put that in graphic type right here. As you possibly can see the C4 softs give drivers a transparent benefit at first, as drivers on the softs will attain 150 kilometers per hour faster than these on the mediums, and far faster than these on the hards:

After all, the tradeoff comes on the finish of the stint, when the grip ranges go away for these on the smooth compound and they should dip into the pits earlier than anybody on the mediums or the hards.

Nonetheless, for groups with contemporary smooth tires out there, that is likely to be an possibility. Eight drivers — Lawson, Stroll, Alonso, Pierre Gasly, Jack Doohan, Oliver Bearman, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Gabriel Bortoleto — have contemporary units of softs out there.

We’ll see what choices the groups go for in just a few quick hours.