01
July
2016
|
17:42
Europe/Amsterdam

2016 Austrian Grand Prix - Practice Sessions

FASTEST SPEEDS EVER SEEN AT THE RED BULL RING: 2015 POLE TIME ECLIPSED IN FP1 ALREADY

RAIN IN FP2 MEANT THERE WAS LITTLE REPRESENTATIVE DATA ON SMOOTH NEW ASPHALT

HIGH DEGREE OF TRACK EVOLUTION EXPECTED

Nico Rosberg used Pirelli’s ultrasoft tyre to set the fastest lap ever recorded around the Red Bull Ring, which has been resurfaced for this year and has already produced a notable upturn in speed compared to 2015. The Mercedes driver clocked a best lap of 1m07.373s during FP1 before joining his fellow drivers in sitting out more than 30 minutes of FP2 as torrential rain coated the 4.326-kilometre circuit. When the track began to dry out, the drivers had to run on intermediate tyre. It wasn’t until the final 20 minutes that teams were able to use dry-weather tyres once again with the popular choice ranging between the supersoft and ultrasoft. Having used the ultrasoft in FP1, Mercedes driver Rosberg’s best lap in FP2 was recorded on the supersoft. Rosberg’s FP1 performance confirmed the Red Bull Ring will be the shortest lap of the year in terms of time and will make an optimal qualifying lap on Saturday even more crucial as a small gap or mistake could have a significant impact. Sofar, due to the heavy wash during FP2, there’s no real data available related to the time gap between the different compounds. Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director: “The new smooth surface and the ultrasoft tyre combined to produce the fastest lap ever recorded at the Red Bull Ring this morning, which could mean that a sub-1m06 lap is possible in qualifying if it stays dry. With the heavy rain keeping the cars off the track for a large chunk of FP2, this didn’t provide a proper opportunity to gather representative running data on this track.”

FP1 - TIMES  
Rosberg1m07.373sUltrasoft New
Hamilton1m07.730sUltrasoft Used
Vettel1m08.022sUltrasoft New
FP2 - TIMES  
Rosberg1m07.967sSupersoft New
Hamilton1m07.986sUltrasoft New
Hulkenberg1m08.580sUltrasoft New

FP1 - BEST TIME PER COMPOUND

SupersoftRosberg1m08.166s
UltrasoftRosberg1m07.373s
SoftHulkenberg1m09.280s

FP2 - BEST TIME PER COMPOUND

SupersoftRosberg1m07.967s
IntermediatePerez1m15.902s
SoftHamilton1m09.145s
UltrasoftHamilton1m07.986s

MOST LAPS BY COMPOUND

UltrasoftRicciardo17 laps
SupersoftKvyat13
IntermediateAlonso10
IntermediateKvyat10
IntermediateSainz J10
SoftButton7

Tyre statistics of the day:

 IntermediateSoftSupersoftUltrasoft
kms driven *70086518201898
sets used overall **22223536
highest number of laps **15272323

* The above number gives the total amount of kilometres driven in FP1 and FP2 today, all drivers combined. ** Per compound, all drivers combined. Minimum prescribed tyre pressures: 22 psi (fronts) 19.5 psi (rears) Pirelli fact of the day: Prior to the return of the Red Bull Ring in 2014, there was no Austrian Grand Prix since 2003. McLaren is the only team with both drivers who took part in the previous incarnation of the race at the A1 Ring (as it was then known). On that occasion 13 years ago, Jenson Button finished fourth (with BAR) while Fernando Alonso retired on lap 44 (in a Renault) having started from the pit lane. Spotted in the paddock: Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi, undertaking third driver duties with Manor. Also spotted: special-edition ‘lederhosen’ race suits for Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, who celebrates his 27th birthday today. The Australian Grand Prix has named a grandstand after him to mark the occasion: this will be known as the circuit’s ‘Danstand’. For more information: please visit our all-new website, which is regularly updated with exclusive in-depth features, news and reviews. To find out more, please visit: www.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/austria-2016-practice