Simone Berra: The condition of the circuit was not optimal

Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra summarized the results of Friday’s practice for the Canadian Grand Prix, saying that due to the changeable weather, tire engineers have not yet been able to determine all the characteristics of the new asphalt on the Gilles Villeneuve circuit.

Simone Berra: “It is very difficult to draw conclusions based on today’s results as the weather turned from sunny to rainy. Track conditions were not near optimal in either session, meaning lap times on slicks were around four seconds slower than the team’s calculations before this trip to North America showed.

This leaves two important unknowns. Firstly, how suitable the tires are for the new asphalt. Today we saw very low grip, so it is logical to expect a significant improvement as the cars run consistent laps on slicks. Secondly, what will be the level of rubber granulation.

But we were able to collect information about the transition point from intermediate tires to slicks, which is 112% of the lap time on a dry track.

Naturally, the most important factor remains the uncertainty of weather conditions during the remaining days of the weekend. Météo France gives an 80% chance of rain in qualifying, while the chance of rain in the race is smaller. But we know that the situation can change quickly.”