evancharley5: Harder Spa tyres will let drivers “push hard” – Pirelli

Monday, August 27, 2012

Harder Spa tyres will let drivers “push hard” – Pirelli | 2012 Belgian Grand Prix

Harder Spa tyres will let drivers “push hard” – Pirelli is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Pirelli say the decision to bring their hardest tyre compounds for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix will reduce the need for drivers to conserve their tyres during the race.

F1′s official tyre supplier are bringing their hard and medium compounds for this weekend’s race, whereas last year the medium and soft tyres were used.

Motorsport director Paul Hembery said: “From a tyre perspective, it’s certainly one of the most demanding circuits that we face all year, because of the high speeds and extreme forces involved, which are often acting on the tyres in more than one dimension.

“The nomination of the hard and the medium tyres will allow drivers to push hard from start to finish, which is what Spa was designed for.”

Some teams experienced problems during last year’s Belgian Grand Prix after they set their cambers beyond the limit recommended by the tyre supplier. “The high speeds increase tyre temperature, particularly if an aggressive camber set-up is adopted to maximise grip,” Pirelli added.

Test driver Jaime Alguersuari did Pirelli’s most recent test at the circuit.: “Spa is relatively smooth,” he said. “So it is not tough on the tyres but it does pose its own unique challenges.

“There are a lot of high-speed areas where considerable lateral force is put on the construction of the sidewall. It is similar to Japan’s Suzuka race circuit, and requires the same set-up and handling.”