This weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, will see the hardest compound of Pirelli tyres used again for back to back weekends, after being used in Portugal last time out.
With the Spanish Grand Prix happening during August last year, track conditions this year are set to be much cooler. However the high demand the circuit brings with many long fast corners, the hardest compound is essential.
There is also the addition this year of the newly laid out Turn Ten, which now requires less braking meaning a higher corner speed. The race is also set to be a potential one-stopper due to the cooler temperatures, however a two-stopper as used by 2020 Spanish Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton, could be feasible.
Mario Isola, Head of F1 and Car Racing at Pirelli, believes this weekend that strategy will be vital to success, at a circuit notoriously difficult to overtake at.
“The race strategy in Barcelona was influenced primarily by the very high track temperatures last season. This year, with the race moving back to a spring date, temperatures will be cooler but should still be a key factor behind the strategy.“
“The altered corner profile of Turn 10 provides another new challenge that could influence the way the drivers approach the lap. We’ve seen in the past that strategy has been one of the key differentiating factors at Barcelona and we would expect this to become the case once more this weekend.”
