Where do I begin if I want to understand tyre tactics better? And what does the type of tyre mean for the performance of the car?
In: 8
You probably want to get into the formula 1 sub for specific questions, but I’ll give a brief overview for the people who wander here.
This year, there are 5 tire compounds total for the dry tires. They are designed so that they do not last the full race. And per the rules of the league, each driver must use two different compounds in the race (with exceptions for wet races).
The 5 tire compounds range in softness. The softest rubber compound (C5) is the absolute fastest, but also the least durable; it’ll only last a dozen laps before it’s performance drops off significantly. The hardest compound C1 is the slowest of the bunch due to its lack of grip, but it’ll last most of the race. To add to the confusion, the race coordinators chose only three compounds to take to each race (so that there aren’t 5 sets for viewers and teams to keep track of and stock)
So when it comes to watching a race, the pit stops cost time, so it needs to be worth it to change. Lots of different strategies are viable, but only a few are optimal.
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