What are the tire strategies for the F1 Chinese Grand Prix?

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

Nevertheless, whereas qualifying is all in regards to the one-lap tempo on the mushy compound, the Chinese language Grand Prix will likely 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 component. That was the case within the F1 Dash race on Saturday, as Lewis Hamilton ran away from the sphere in clear air whereas these behind him struggled to maintain their medium tires in the proper window over simply 19 laps.

How the drivers deal with 56 laps is a very 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 continues to be matter of debate.

Listed below 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 would possibly 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 concern 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 by tires on prolonged runs. For instance, throughout the F1 Dash race Max Verstappen was making an attempt to chase down Hamilton on the entrance, however by Lap 14 Verstappen informed his workforce that his medium tires had been “useless.”

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

“As for technique, the extent of degradation leads us to recommend {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 below are the three predominant choices for groups and drivers, as outlined by Pirelli:

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

Extra on the beginning in a second.

The primary sees groups begin with the medium and change to the onerous for the second stint, however there are alternatives out there beginning there. Within the first choice groups will look to run round 12 to 18 laps on the onerous compound, earlier than pitting once more for one more set of hards to go the space.

Within the second choice, groups begin on the mediums and change to the hards, extending that second stint a bit to round 14 to twenty laps. Then they might change 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. Nevertheless, that technique won’t be out there to 1 workforce, which we’ll talk about in a second.

Then there’s 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 an alternative 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 automobile. Drivers behind the grid — you Liam Lawson — would possibly 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 chance in Pirelli’s recap of Saturday’s motion.

“In reality, these beginning close to the again would possibly 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.

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

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

Listed below are the compounds every driver has out there for the Chinese language Grand Prix, in accordance with Pirelli:

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

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

Or, they could possibly 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 onerous tires out there, one other signal that the groups expect to depend on the C2 onerous tires within the Chinese language Grand Prix.

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

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

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

Pirelli put that in graphic type right here. As you may 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:

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

Nonetheless, for groups with contemporary mushy tires out there, that is likely to be an choice. 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 are going to see what choices the groups go for in a number of brief hours.