Mario Isola said the tyre choices during the Japanese Grand Prix were dictated by the weather, particularly when it came to the restart following the lengthy red flag period at the Suzuka International Racing Course.
The initial start saw everyone run the intermediate tyre, but an accident for Carlos Sainz Jr. when the Scuderia Ferrari driver aquaplaned off the track, coupled with worsening conditions, necessitated the red flag.
Just forty minutes were left on the clock when the race resumed – behind the safety car – and everyone on the full wet tyre. However, both Sebastian Vettel and Nicholas Latifi made the immediate switch to the intermediates, and over the next few laps, everyone had made the same move.
Isola, the Motorsport Director at Pirelli, says switching to the intermediates was the right call for the conditions, and from there on it was a case of maintaining the tyres as best they could until the end, particularly the front tyres.
“The Japanese Grand Prix came down to a 40-minute sprint race after the wet conditions hampered visibility too much for the race to start,” said Isola. “The conditions dictated the tyre strategy for everyone, as the safety car start meant that all the drivers had to start on the full wets.
“But it soon became clear that the intermediates were best for the circumstances, which performed strongly in inconsistent conditions at an impressive pace. Looking after the front tyres was critical, with the drivers showing their skills in managing their used intermediates during the closing stages of the race.
“A big thank you to the amazing Japanese fans, who finally saw an action-packed sprint after waiting so long, showing once again their passion and commitment to Formula 1 by staying put despite the challenging weather. They deserve all our affection and support.”
Max Verstappen took a dominant victory at Suzuka to claim his second World Drivers’ Championship title, and Isola was quick to congratulate the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver on his achievement.
“Congratulations to Max Verstappen for his second title,” Isola commented.
