Pirelli Point of View: Mario Isola
Formula 2 continues the pace this weekend as we hit half way mark through yet another triple-header.
This week see’s us embark on the first of two Italian based Grand Prix weekends. We start at the iconic Monza before heading over to Tuscany for the first ever Mugello Grand Prix in the series.
Monza is known as the “Temple of Speed” due to to long straights, this will pose a slightly different focus when it comes to tyre management.
The most significant forces on the tyres at come under traction and braking in the chicanes that finish off these long straights. The long Curva Grande and Parabolica corners create the greatest lateral forces.
Drivers rely heavily on the kerbs to take the fastest line through the chicanes, adding to the stresses on the tyres.
The P Zero Yellow medium and P Zero Red soft tyres have been nominated in Formula 2 for Monza: the same combination used in Hungary and Belgium earlier this season. This is the same nomination made at Monza in 2019, but now in the new 18-inch size, rather than 13 inches, and with brand new compounds.
This is Pirelli’s home event as the company’s headquarters is just down the road in Milan. Mario Isola commented ahead of the weekend’s action;
“Monza is our home circuit and part of a unique Italian double-header with Mugello this season. It’s always a special event, partly because of the circuit characteristics that make Monza the quickest track on the calendar. This creates a compromise for the teams and drivers, who need to get the grip that they want while keeping downforce to a minimum. At the same time, they also need to preserve the tyres from the work-out they receive under traction, braking, and through the chicanes especially. Hitting the high kerbs in Monza with the 18-inch tyres will be quite different from the past with the 13- inch tyres, so the F2 drivers will probably have to slightly modify their racing lines, to avoid unbalancing the car.”
This creates a compromise for the teams and drivers, who need to get the grip that they want while keeping downforce to a minimum. At the same time, they also need to preserve the tyres from the work-out they receive under traction, braking, and through the chicanes especially.
Hitting the high kerbs in Monza with the 18-inch tyres will be quite different from the past with the 13-inch tyres, so the F2 drivers will probably have to slightly modify their racing lines, to avoid unbalancing the car.”
We will wait and see how this all plays out with the new 2020 cars and the 18-inch wheels.
What we do know is that Monza is always spectacular and we will be looking forward to some late lunges and heavy braking.
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* Image Credit: Formula Motorsport Limited
