F1 | The “Sprint Race” debuts at Silverstone: Pirelli's analysis

The next Formula 1 weekend at Silverstone, which sees Pirelli as Title Sponsor, will make history: for the first time, a Sprint Qualifying will take place on Saturday, which will determine the starting grid for Sunday's Grand Prix. The compounds named are the same as the last British GP (first race of the Silverstone double in 2020): C1 as P Zero White hard, C2 as P Zero Yellow medium, C3 as P Zero Red soft.

The hardest compounds in the P Zero Formula 1 range were chosen due to the well-known characteristics of the circuit, which exert significant energy loads on the tyres. The allocations are different on the weekends involving Sprint Qualifying, with 12 sets of P Zero slicks instead of 13.

Two trains of White hard, four of Yellow medium and six of Red soft. In addition, up to six sets of Cinturato Green intermediate and three of Cinturato Blue full wet are available, in case of wet conditions. In qualifying on Friday, only the soft tire may be used, but there will be no obligation to start Sunday's race with the tires fitted to obtain the best time in Q2. In the Sprint Qualifying on Saturday, the drivers will be able to freely choose the tires to use and will not be obliged to make a pit stop.

The regulations relating to tires for Sunday remain unchanged, except that each driver will be able to decide which compound to start with. The new rear construction which was tested during free practice in Austria will make its racing debut at Silverstone. These rear tyres, which boast a more robust structure for the same weight and which are characterized by some elements that will be part of the 18 inches for 2022, will be used starting from this GP and until the end of the current season.

The characteristics of the Silverstone track

Silverstone is famous for being a high-speed, high-load track. The famous Maggots and Becketts curves, in particular, exert significant lateral acceleration on the tyres, which can reach a peak of 5g. Last year's British Grand Prix winner had opted for a medium-hard one-stop strategy: the same choice made by all the top three finishers (although second-placed Max Verstappen made a late stop to fit soft tires and get the extra point for the best lap time).

Mario Isola, head of F1 and Car Racing at Pirelli

“During the Silverstone weekend there will be a lot of new things to keep an eye on: first of all it will be the first of the three races in which a Sprint Qualifying will be held this year, which will completely change the course and pace of the entire weekend and will have a significant impact on tire usage.

As for Silverstone, it remains one of the most important challenges of the year from a tire point of view due to its fast corners, which always makes good tire management essential. Another key factor will obviously be the weather, which in England is notoriously variable at this time of year."