Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says a team’s ability to understand Pirelli’s thinner tread tyres and adapt to their characteristics are big factors of performance this season.
In a bid to reduce risks of overheating and blistering, Pirelli has reduced the tread of its tyres this season, a change that has thrown a wrench into the works of teams this year as everyone struggles with the narrow operating window associated with the new rubber.
Haas’ Guenther Steiner is up in arms with how the US outfit’s 2019 contender – which showed great promise in pre-season testing – has now lost its performance on long runs as it struggles to warm up its tyres.
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Racing Point technical director Andy Green also feels that this year’s rubber is a massive component of a car’s performance on race day.
“Unfortunately it changes from track to track, asphalt to asphalt. We are having to about them every time.” Green told Auto Motor und Sport.
Wolff agrees that teams have been forced to start from scratch when it comes to unraveling the mysteries of Pirelli’s latest tyres.
“I think there’s actually a wider operating window [with the 2019 tyres] but I think it’s the usual learning slope,” said Wolff.
“When you’ve had a tyre for a long time, all your data and all your simulations are based around a certain compound and a certain structure.
“Then suddenly the tread changes from one year to the other, all your learning is basically not so relevant anymore.
“It’s also about adaptability, the team that learns quickest to understand the new circumstances.”
So far, Mercedes appears to have an edge over its rivals with regard to that learning process, although Wolff pointed to the team’s deficit to Ferrari in FP3 in Baku as evidence that the German squad’s advantage is tentative at best.
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