System 1’s sole tire provider, Pirelli, and the FIA have collaborated on an motion plan to assist keep away from a recurrence of the tire issues that plagued final yr’s Qatar Grand Prix, based on data obtained by Motorsport.com.
When F1 returned to the revamped Lusail circuit in 2023, it confronted tire points attributable to harm from the brand new “pyramidal” curbs that had been put in. After the primary apply classes, Pirelli found microscopic fractures on the shoulder space between the tread and the carcass.
The difficulty was triggered by drivers working over the brand new curbs, which featured a raised 50 mm edge, inflicting vital impacts when the tires went past the sting. The issue was exacerbated by the high-speed nature of the circuit.
Talking concerning the causes of the difficulty on the time, Mario Isola, Pirelli’s head, mentioned: “It’s not simply the geometry of the curbs as a result of these curbs are used at many different circuits. What issues is the time and pace spent on the curbs.”
“Right here, throughout the lap, all of the drivers spend quite a lot of time at excessive pace on the curbs, and this damages the development.”
Amid considerations that such harm might result in potential failures, the FIA intervened and imposed a most stint size of 18 laps for brand new tires throughout the race, successfully turning it right into a three-stop occasion.
To stop a recurrence of those points, Pirelli and the FIA have labored extensively to make sure the tires keep away from the same state of affairs this yr.
Probably the most vital change shall be to the observe itself: the pyramidal-shaped curbs have been rounded off in seven of the circuit’s 16 corners. These embrace the primary two corners, Flip 4, Flip 10, and the part from Flip 12 to Flip 14, the place tires had been most confused final yr.
Forward of this yr’s WEC race on the circuit, the FIA acknowledged: “The ‘Misano’-type curbs on the Lusail Worldwide Circuit are the identical as these used at many different circuits worldwide, homologated by each the FIA and the FIM.”
“It was agreed with the circuit to cut back the height and sharp edges of the ‘Misano’-type curbs at a number of corners to attenuate the chance of harm when a automobile goes extensive and returns. This modification was carried out in settlement with System 1, and Pirelli was additionally knowledgeable.”
To additional discourage drivers from going too far off-track, the FIA has additionally put in a collection of gravel strips past the observe’s curbs.
Along with bodily work on the circuit, Pirelli performed experiments on its dynamic check benches at its R&D Motorsport Division in Milan to higher perceive the forces at play. This concerned utilizing tires on a pattern of the brand new curb design offered by the FIA to find out whether or not the problems might recur.
Additional knowledge was collected from current exams that some groups performed in Qatar over the previous few weeks. Whereas testing with older vehicles didn’t contain utilizing race-specific tires for 2024, the suggestions gathered was helpful for correlating the work completed in Milan with real-world situations.
Since Lusail is among the season’s most demanding circuits by way of vitality ranges, Pirelli will use the three hardest compounds in its vary.
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