Tire Compounds

Author
Discussion

The Moose

Original Poster:

22,820 posts

208 months

Monday 17th September 2018
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I like to think that I am an F1 fan. I watch pretty much all the quali and races either live or the extended highlights. I prefer weekends with F1 than without (and I think the wife does too as it keeps me occupied). I do not watch FP1, 2 or 3 but do check the results on Friday/Saturday.

It does not rule every part of my life, nor am I an F1 data monster like some of the other posters on PH.

And yet, I still struggle with the tires!

Maybe I am just thick (quite probably), but why do Pirelli need to specify 6 (maybe more) different dry compounds that they can select from for different circuits?

What I don't understand is why they don't just bring 3 compounds to each race (plus inters + wets) and call them Hard, Medium and Soft. Pirelli can then do whatever they like, even customizing each compound to each circuit. Does it really matter to the fans if the soft at one circuit is harder than the hard at another?

Not only would this make it easier for the fans watching, it would also allow Pirelli/FIA/Liberty to get together and decide what behavior they want from each tire during the race.

The other bonus is that they could keep some of the more detailed info away from the teams making it less certain what's going on at each circuit.

What am I missing?

slipstream 1985

12,123 posts

178 months

Monday 17th September 2018
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I tyre with the tire situation too.

Benrad

650 posts

148 months

Monday 17th September 2018
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I believe next year they will be called soft, medium and hard at each race and Pirelli will select the the compounds from a choice of I can't remember how many. So essentially what you're suggesting.

They will be from a fixed selection of compounds though. With such a limited amount of testing you couldn't change the tyres completely every round, it'd be carnage

The Moose

Original Poster:

22,820 posts

208 months

Monday 17th September 2018
quotequote all
Benrad said:
I believe next year they will be called soft, medium and hard at each race and Pirelli will select the the compounds from a choice of I can't remember how many. So essentially what you're suggesting.
Good! Hope people don't complain about dumbing down too much for me!!

Benrad said:
They will be from a fixed selection of compounds though. With such a limited amount of testing you couldn't change the tyres completely every round, it'd be carnage
Would it really? It would surely then give an advantage to those teams that can quickly work out what's going on with each tire compound.

Also, more testing is a good idea!

HardtopManual

2,403 posts

165 months

Monday 17th September 2018
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I AM something of a F1 data nerd of the type you describe, and on Sunday I couldn't for the life of me remember which tyre was softer - hyper or ultra soft? It was also not particularly easy to tell the pink and purple sidewall markings apart.

The Moose

Original Poster:

22,820 posts

208 months

Monday 17th September 2018
quotequote all
HardtopManual said:
I AM something of a F1 data nerd of the type you describe, and on Sunday I couldn't for the life of me remember which tyre was softer - hyper or ultra soft? It was also not particularly easy to tell the pink and purple sidewall markings apart.
I didn't even touch on the color issue (being colorblind!)

Doink

1,652 posts

146 months

Monday 17th September 2018
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I'm red/green colour blind too, its the starts I struggle with lol!

Order66

6,726 posts

248 months

Wednesday 19th September 2018
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The Moose said:
Also, more testing is a good idea!
You'd think that, but historically it always ended up widening the gulf from the front to back of grid. Testing is furiously expensive, and the ability to test continuously (i.e. Ferrari) led to complete dominance by those who could afford it, and happened to have their own track beside the worskshop.

The Moose

Original Poster:

22,820 posts

208 months

Wednesday 19th September 2018
quotequote all
Order66 said:
The Moose said:
Also, more testing is a good idea!
You'd think that, but historically it always ended up widening the gulf from the front to back of grid. Testing is furiously expensive, and the ability to test continuously (i.e. Ferrari) led to complete dominance by those who could afford it, and happened to have their own track beside the worskshop.
I know! I meant for the fans!!