Izola: The most likely tactic is two pit stops

Pirelli tire manufacturers bring tires of C2, C3 and C4 compounds to Brazil, i.e. “medium” in terms of stiffness, and Mario Isola, head of Pirelli Motorsport, spoke about the main features of the upcoming stage, whose program includes the sprint on includes Saturday.

Mario Isola: “The Brazilian Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paulo is known for the exciting races there. The length of the circle is only 4309 meters and this is one of the shortest circuits in the championship, shorter than only the city ring in Monaco and the circuit in Mexico City.

Moreover, traffic there drives counter-clockwise and the circuit is located on the hills, which gives it a unique character. After the 1st bend there is a steep descent, after which a long climb with several bends follows, after which a long straight stretch towards the finish begins.

The track has 15 turns – five right and nine left, so the direction of travel changes several times. Interlagos has a little bit of everything: there are slow corners and medium-fast corners, and the car’s aerodynamic body kits are tuned for a fairly high level of downforce.

If we talk about the forces acting on the tires, on this circuit we can talk about an approximate balance between longitudinal and lateral loads.

Asphalt is quite abrasive, which is typical of stationary race tracks with a long history. The degradation of rubber is predominantly thermal in nature, which is why the compounds C2, C3 and C4 were chosen for the Brazilian phase.

The most likely tactic would be a two pit stop plan, as the single pit stop option requires economical use of tire resources, and this will affect race pace.

During the Brazilian Grand Prix, the safety car entered the track frequently, which is also one of the most important variables affecting the outcome of the race. Weather conditions can also change very quickly at this time of year.

The Interlagos round will be the last of the season, including a sprint, so teams and drivers will have another chance to evaluate the behavior of the tires over a long series of laps.”