F1 | Pirelli, Mario Isola on the Russian GP: “We are bringing harder tires than in 2018”

For the Russian Grand Prix, Pirelli has named the C2s as Hard (white), C3 as Medium (yellow) and C4 as Soft (red). The compounds are one step harder than in 2018 and last week's race in Singapore.

“After the return of the Grand Prix in autumn, which took place last year, it will be very interesting to see if there will be changes compared to the last edition – said Mario Isola, Pirelli manager for Formula 1 and Car Racing. In Sochi we bring C2, C3 and C4, the three compounds in the middle of the range: a one step harder selection than 2018 that should adapt very well to a wide variety of conditions. This circuit emphasizes longitudinal rather than lateral loads, with extensive track evolution throughout the weekend. One of the keys to obtaining an excellent result is finding the best set up and strategy to best deal with the different racing conditions. In 2018 Valtteri Bottas set the new absolute track record: let's see if it will be lowered further this year."

One of the peculiarities of Sochi is certainly the smooth asphalt: in 2014, the first year of the Russian Grand Prix held on this track, Nico Rosberg completed practically the entire Grand Prix on a single set, having stopped on the first lap after a rather heavy. Since then the asphalt has evolved and become rougher: these factors, together with a layout that is not particularly severe, make this circuit less demanding on the tyres. On this track, which emphasizes traction and braking above all, the front right tire is subjected to the most stress. In 2018, the three compounds nominated were Soft, UltraSoft and HyperSoft. This year, the tougher choices should allow the drivers to push hard in each stint and face the evolution of the track, without focusing exclusively on managing the race pace. The one-stop strategy is historically the most used: in 2018, Lewis Hamilton won with an UltraSoft-Soft tactic after starting second, while Max Verstappen used the opposite Soft-UltraSoft strategy to recover from the last position on the grid to the fifth final. The weather in Sochi can be variable during this period: in 2018 it rained shortly before the race, while other years it was sunny. At the moment the forecast indicates a high probability of rain. Mercedes won every race held in Russia, including the first two editions in St. Petersburg in 1913 and 1914.