Pirelli: Debut in Barcelona for the new hard compound tyre

After one of the least used circuits of the season, Istanbul Park, Pirelli is now aiming for one of the most popular: the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelò, just outside Barcelona. The track is widely used for testing, and the PZero tires have already seen action here four times in the past: once last year in private tests, twice this year during the official testing 'season' and once again , last month, as part of Pirelli's ongoing private testing program.

Both Pirelli and the teams have accumulated a good amount of data on Barcelona, ​​the location chosen for the tests as it contains a challenging mix of corners and speed – highlighting every aspect of the car's performance – and generally offers good weather conditions throughout the year.

But, during one of Pirelli's most recent outings in Barcelona, ​​for the last official test in March, the weather was unusually bad, with low temperatures and even torrential rain. This time temperatures should be much warmer, offering the ideal scenario for the race debut of the latest evolution of the PZero Argento (hard compound) tyre. This compound was tested by the teams during Friday's free practice in Turkey and, before then, by Pirelli in private test sessions in Barcelona and Turkey, using the single-seater for the tests, the Toyota TF109.

The new tire offers slightly greater durability over race distance and ensures a larger gap between the soft and hard compounds, giving teams the opportunity to adopt more aggressive strategies. In Barcelona, ​​the teams will also be supplied with the PZero Giallo (soft) tyre, used in all races up to this point in the year alongside the PZero Argento (hard).

THE COMMENT FROM THE PIRELLI MOTORSPORT DIRECTOR:

Paul Hembery: “From the beginning of the year we said that we would introduce tire developments if we felt they would improve the show and Barcelona is the first opportunity to do so. The new tire – which we have tested extensively – reduces degradation and improves rubber wear. It's not a huge step up from the original hard compound, but it does mean there's a bigger gap between the soft and the hard, which will make things even more interesting in the race and give teams the opportunity to use more creative strategies. . In Barcelona, ​​based on the data seen in the tests, we probably expect around three pitstops per car. It takes longer to get in and out of the pits in Barcelona than in Turkey and this is another factor that will have a decisive influence on the strategy.”

THE FORMULA ONE DRIVER'S COMMENT:

Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso): “We know the Circuit de Catalunya very well, because the teams carry out all their tests there. However, in this year's Spanish GP, the situation will be quite different in terms of tire performance due to the increase in air and track temperatures. During winter testing, the tires never worked at their correct operating temperatures, so it was difficult to warm them up. In any case, it was useful to give us an idea about the tire balance and also the degradation. The third sector of the circuit will be crucial for lap times and the part of the track where tire behavior will play a vital role. This section is indeed harsh on the tires and then there is turn 12, which will be quite treacherous, because it is very demanding and there you really feel the tires working. The exit from the last corner will also be interesting in terms of the tyres, due to the loads they are subjected to. In qualifying, it will be important to make the tires work properly, given that to set the time it will be preferable to do just one lap, to conserve the tires as much as possible for the race."

TECHNICAL NOTES AND TIRE CHOICES:

* Barcelona puts particular pressure on the front left, due to the high number of right turns. In total there are 16 corners on the 4,655km track, which has hosted the Spanish GP since 1991.

* The weather forecast indicates dry and hot over the course of the race weekend, with temperatures around 22 degrees centigrade. Only four teams – Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Williams – tested Pirelli wet tires in Barcelona, ​​having chosen to run in the wet on the final day of testing in March.

* The highest number of pitstops in the Spanish GP was recorded during the 1995 race. Overall there were 59 stops: an average of 2,3 per driver. The lowest number of pitstops was during the 1992 race, with only 7 stops: just 0,3 per driver.