Formula 2

Feature Race, the winner: Nyck de Vries won the race and the title for ART Grand Prix, starting from pole on the supersoft and then switching to the medium. De Vries started ahead of his DAMS championship rival Nicholas Latifi, on the same strategy, and managed to stay in front of him on the track as well as during the pit stops. Third-placed finisher Louis Deletraz (Carlin) was also on a supersoft-medium strategy, with an excellent second stint to seal his podium on the final lap.

Nyck de Vries: “We knew in advance that the supersofts were going to be tough, so the virtual safety car kind of played a little bit into our hands, because it kind of gave us an extra lap, or shortened the stint by one lap. Nicholas was catching a bit on the in-lap, but it was just enough and I did a good out-lap. The pace was good. I kind of managed it and never asked too much. I was very much in control and that is how we want it.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Luca Ghiotto (Virtuosi) went for an alternative strategy, as he had done at the last round. He started on the medium tyre from fourth on the grid and ran it for 24 of the 28 laps, to lead the race and lap as quickly as those around him on newer tyres. He rejoined on the supersoft more than six seconds down on the leader and eventually finished fourth.

Sprint Race, the winner: Following a lengthy delay as the result of a first-lap accident, the race was shortened to 15 laps, with all the drivers using the soft tyre from start to finish in warm conditions. Ghiotto led from the re-start and successfully defended his place from de Vries to the finish.

Formula 3

Race 1, the winner: Prema’s championship leader Robert Shwartzman claimed the title with second place, having started from pole. His team mate Marcus Armstrong won the race, from third on the grid. Some rain and a safety car in the early stages complicated the action, with the wet tyre seen briefly as well – although the conditions didn’t really warrant it.

Race 2, the winner: Hitech GP driver Juri Vips claimed his third win of the year from reverse grid pole, but Armstrong and Shwartzman had to fight their way further through the field to complete the podium. In warm conditions, it was important to manage the soft tyre carefully throughout the 20 laps.

Pirelli Quote

Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola: “Congratulations to both our champions, who fully deserve their titles. We are very proud that Pirelli forms a part of their careers. We experienced mixed conditions throughout the weekend, so the drivers had to get the best out of the tyres under a variety of different circumstances on a relatively low-grip track, which is always a challenge. In the F2 feature race, there were some interesting strategies, with Ghiotto getting the maximum out of the medium compound as he tried something different to those around him. In the end, despite the divergence of strategies, the result was very close.”

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Pirelli extends its condolences to all of Anthoine’s family, friends and colleagues, and sends best wishes to his fellow driver Juan Manuel Correa, who was taken to hospital. Both Formula 2 races were cancelled following the incident, with a number of tributes to Anthoine taking place during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.

In Formula 3, Pedro Piquet – the son of three-time Formula 1 champion Nelson – won the opening race for Trident on Saturday ahead of the Prema drivers Robert Shwartzman and Jehan Daruvala: Piquet claimed the lead on the first lap before pulling away from his rivals, managing his medium tyres well in warm and sunny conditions at the demanding Spa circuit.

Sunday’s second F3 race was held in much cooler conditions, and there was even a brief rain shower during a mid-race safety car period. Marcus Armstrong took the win for Prema in front of Yuki Tsunoda (Jenzer Motorsport) while Shwartzman scored another podium to increase his championship lead.

Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola: “Anthoine was loved and respected by all his racing colleagues, and it was a real pleasure for us last year in Abu Dhabi to present him with a scholarship award after he brilliantly won the GP3 Series, which helped him take the next step in his exceptionally promising career. Like the rest of the motorsport community, we are all still struggling to come to terms with what has happened. The thoughts of us at Pirelli are now with his family and many friends.”

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Formula 2 also had the red-walled soft compound P Zero as a requirement for the feature race, which features a mandatory pit-stop, while Formula 3 utilised the medium compound tyre for the first time since its second round at Paul Ricard in June.

Formula 2Feature Race, the winning strategy: Nicholas Latifi won the F2 feature race for DAMS after getting ahead of Nyck de Vries, who claimed pole position in a wet qualifying session only to run wide at the first corner of the race. Starting on the soft tyre, Latifi went further into the race than de Vries before pitting for the medium tyres, but rejoined ahead in spite of his rival’s undercut attempt.

Nicholas Latifi: “The start was probably the race-defining moment, to get out into the lead, especially at this track. Then it was just about managing the opening stint really, which was a bit different to past races as we were starting on brand new tyres. The goal for me was always to try and extend it. It was a bit of a difficult strategy call of when to pit because we knew Nyck was going for the undercut, but at the same time I already had a big gap and I said 'if I'm still pulling away relative to the others then let's keep going'. Then it was just about managing traffic – there was a few guys on the other strategy – and managing the tyres which I was quite confident to do.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Jordan King (MP Motorsport) finished as the highest-placed driver to try the alternative strategy of starting on the medium tyre and switching to the soft. Taking the lead when the soft-starters pitted, King used his fresher and faster rubber late on to finish sixth, having started 10th.

Sprint Race, the winner: Mick Schumacher scored the first race victory at a grand prix weekend for a member of the Schumacher family since 2006 by winning the F2 sprint race. He resisted race-long pressure from Nobuharu Matsushita behind, with the Honda junior driver scoring the fastest lap of the race. All drivers went the distance on the same set of medium tyres, rather than attempt an alternate strategy of an optional pit-stop for softs.

Mick Schumacher: “I was always trying to keep [Matsushita] a bit behind, especially in the last sector, where mostly going into turn one is the easiest and most probable overtaking opportunity, so I tried to have a good exit out of the last corner every time which worked pretty well. He got pretty close when he had the DRS but in general I was trying to take care of my tyres, especially when those two [Matsushita and Sette Camara] were fighting. I tried to push to get away so I'd stay out of DRS but then also trying to look after the tyres so that if Nobuharu comes back, which was a matter of time, then I still had some tyre [life] left.”

Formula 3Race 1, the winner: Christian Lundgaard claimed his first F3 win with ART Grand Prix ahead of team-mate Max Fewtrell. Lundgaard led from pole position, maintaining the performance in his tyres until the very end of the race, when he posted the fastest lap of the race on the final lap.

Race 2, the winner: Prema Racing’s Marcus Armstrong became the seventh race winner this season, running away from Leo Pulcini after a brief elbows-out battle at turn two early on. But it was third-placed Jake Hughes who really made the P Zero tyres work to his advantage, climbing to third place as he’d done in race one and setting his fastest lap on the final tour of the circuit.

Pirelli QuotePirelli’s head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola: “Those drivers who learned to maximise the grip and durability of the P Zero slicks fared best at the Hungaroring. The undercut is often the most successful strategy option available but Nicolas Latifi made the softs work for longer than his chief rival and was rewarded. We were also very happy with the life of the medium tyre, especially with the best F3 drivers able to go as fast near the end of the race as at the start. Also, my congratulations to Mick Schumacher, Christian Lundgaard and Marcus Armstrong for their first wins in F2 and FIA F3 respectively.”

FIA Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel: “The Pirelli tyres have played a key role in the closing laps of the F3 races this weekend to provide us with a great show. That’s what we want and what we like to see! This also provides the drivers with an extra challenge: whoever masters the degradation will shine at the finish line. This is something crucial in the learning curve towards the ultimate goal.”

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Feature Race, the winning strategy: Nicolas Latifi converted fourth place on the grid to a race win, despite a delay of around four seconds during his pit stop on lap 16. Like everyone else, the DAMS driver started on the medium tyre before switching to the soft. Having saved his tyres after the start, he took the lead on lap nine but dropped to fourth after his lengthy stop. Nonetheless, he used the advantage of fresher rubber to move up the order as those around him came into the pits or suffered from degradation, eventually winning a thrilling 32-lap race by nine seconds.

Nicolas Latifi: “We were quite confident with the race pace but we did not make things easy with the pit stop. Thankfully, the team gave me a great car so I had the pace to go back to the front. When I came out. I knew my tyres were going to be fresher so I was just patient and biding my time to get in front.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Although everyone ran a medium-soft strategy, there were several variations in the timings of the pit stops as the drivers tried different tactics. ART’s Nyck de Vries was the first of the leaders to stop on lap 13 with an ‘undercut’, while others such as Carlin’s Nobuharu Matsushita went long during the opening stint in order to gain track position.

Sprint Race, what we learned: Strategy and pit stops were a focal point of the 23-lap sprint race, with the teams changing rubber to combat the abrasive asphalt and warm conditions. The first driver to make a stop was Prema’s Sean Gelael (the only driver to start on the soft compound). He was soon followed though by the frontrunners including the eventual winner, Uni Virtuosi’s Luca Ghiotto – who had fought his way up from the midfield. The top three all made a pit stop, but Ghiotto’s team mate Guanyu Zhou finished fourth without stopping.

Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola: “It’s been a fantastic pair of races to start the Formula 2 season, with the hot conditions and abrasive asphalt definitely adding an extra element. The effect was that the drivers had to look after their tyres carefully, especially the rears, and a pit stop proved to be an effective strategy in the second race as well – as we have seen before on a few rare occasions. However, the pit stop was by no means the only strategy: careful tyre management meant that drivers such as Zhou were able to score good results on their starting set of medium tyres.”

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FORMULA 2

Feature Race, the winner: Following the downpour that also affected Formula 1 qualifying, all the drivers started on wet tyres before moving onto slicks (with medium and supersoft nominated) as the track dried out. The timing of this move was critical to the final race outcome. McLaren junior driver Lando Norris was initially quickest in the wet conditions for Carlin – sometimes more than three seconds per lap faster than his rivals – while fellow McLaren junior Nyck de Vries (Prema) was quickest on slick tyres to take the win.

Nyck de Vries: “We expected the track to dry up towards the end, so we didn’t put everything on too much of a wet set-up. We knew things would be tough at the start and I was really struggling to hold on. But then the track started to dry out, and that was the moment we needed to go and change our tyres. So the timing was good, and the others had anticipated wetter conditions than us, which worked to our advantage.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: With all the drivers starting on wet tyres then moving on to the medium compound, there was no particular alternative strategy. However, Charouz driver and Ferrari junior Antonio Fuoco stopped later than his direct rivals in a bid to maintain track position: a tactic that ultimately resulted in his fifth podium of the season.

Sprint Race, the winner: Campos driver Luca Ghiotto made a brilliant start from the second row to take the lead on lap one, with all the drivers using the medium tyres from start to finish of the 28-lap race. However, he was overhauled by DAMS driver Alexander Albon with four laps to go, who had kept his tyres in optimal condition to make a move at the end.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: The track had dried up enough for slicks in Saturday’s 22-lap GP3 race, with all the drivers using the nominated soft tyre from start to finish. Force India junior Nikita Mazepin took the lead for ART Grand Prix from second on the grid and won by more than 10 seconds, despite having to control some tyre degradation.

Sprint Race, the winner: MP Motorsport driver Dorian Boccolacci won the sprint race from reverse pole in high temperatures. After setting a strong pace in the early stages of the race, he controlled his rhythm to manage his tyres to the end of the race, claiming victory by just over two seconds.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “In the Formula 2 feature race, judging the crossover point between wets and slicks was absolutely critical, with the drivers facing the challenge of a drying track. For the first time we brought the supersoft to Hungary in Formula 2, and although the weather circumstances meant it wasn’t used in the races, it contributed to a very close and exciting qualifying session on Saturday. In GP3, there was some degree of tyre degradation that the drivers had to manage, but for those who got it right, the rewards were big.”

NEXT RACESFormula 2 and GP3 resumes after the traditional summer break, at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium from August 24-26.

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship and GP3 Series, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com and www.gp3series.com

The challenge

• The Hungaroring is tight and twisting in nature with a low average speed. However, the many corners and lack of long straights mean that the tyres are being constantly worked during a lap with traction, braking and lateral forces.

• Teams run the cars with high downforce levels, but the relatively low cornering speeds mean there is more reliance on the mechanical grip from the tyres.

• Overtaking can be difficult, so getting the most out of the tyres in qualifying is important, while good strategy calls can be crucial in the races.

• Physically it’s a tough race: temperatures are often very high and there’s little airflow around the car, with the drivers working hard.

The tyres and strategy

• The P Zero White medium and P Zero Red supersoft tyres have been nominated for F2: a change from last year when the medium and soft tyres were used. This combination was used earlier this season in both Baku and Le Castellet.

• In F2, each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use over the weekend: three medium and two supersoft. They also have three sets of wet-weather tyres. During race one, where there is a mandatory pit stop, both compounds have to be used unless it is declared a wet race. Pit stops are optional in race two.

• Just one tyre is nominated for each GP3 round: at the Hungaroring it’s the soft. This is one step softer than in 2017, when the medium was used. Drivers get three new sets of dry tyres plus one carry-over set of hard tyres from the Silverstone round, which must be returned in free practice. There are two sets of wet-weather tyres as well (although it rarely rains at this time of year near Budapest).

What happened last year?Oliver Rowland won the F2 feature race, fending off Artem Markelov after both started on the soft tyre and switched to the medium. After a technical infringement deprived him of pole position, Charles Leclerc (now racing for Sauber in F1) used the alternative strategy to race from the back of the grid to fourth. Nobuharu Matsushita won the sprint race on the medium tyre. Jack Aitken and Giuliano Alesi were the winners in GP3.

Quote

Mario Isola, Pirelli head of car racing: “The tyre nomination in F2 this weekend is a step softer than last year for the softest compound, whereas we maintain the same nomination for the harder compound. In GP3, the single-compound is softer. This should add to the challenge of tyre management at a circuit whose layout is always quite demanding for tyres, as the lack of a long straight means that they don’t really get a chance to cool down. In Formula 2, we have a ‘gap’ in the nominations – going straight from medium to supersoft – as we’ve seen a couple of times already this year: a choice that we have also made on occasions in Formula 1. This should hopefully lead to an interesting range of strategic choices: an important element at the Hungaroring, as it’s a circuit that is often quite hard to overtake on.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship and GP3 Series, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com and www.gp3series.com

FORMULA 2

Feature Race, the winner: Alex Albon started from second place on the soft tyre before pitting to change to the hard compound, where he was able to pass George Russell (who was on the same strategy but suffered a slow pit-stop). Albon was then able to manage his tyres and his advantage over Russell for the rest of the race. The soft-hard strategy was adopted by nearly all the cars on the grid.

Alex Albon: “I think George and I were the only guys in free practice to do a long run and already by then, I knew that the tyres were going to be quite good. I heard other people talking about high degradation, but I think I knew it wouldn’t be that bad. So with that information, I drove – pushing, but not killing the tyres, so I could relax.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Tadasuke Makino (Russian Time) and Ralph Boschung (MP Motorsport) were the only two drivers to start the race on the hard tyres. They were both able to use the grip from their fresher, faster tyres at the end of the race to overtake others, with Boschung finishing up ninth.

Sprint Race, the winner: Maximilian Gunther won by just half a second over Russell, who worked his way up from seventh on the grid. With all drivers on the hard tyre and no pit stops, Gunther controlled the lead well to take his maiden win.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Anthoine Hubert won from pole position, managing his tyres well to pull away from ART Grand Prix team-mates Nikita Mazepin and Callum Ilott late in the race. Ilott had the pace to set the fastest lap on lap 15 of 20 to gain two bonus points, but conceded the championship lead back to Hubert.

Sprint Race, the winner: Pedro Piquet, son of three-time Formula 1 champion Nelson, claimed his first victory in GP3. He got a quicker start than Trident team-mate Giuliano Alesi to take the lead and won by 1.4 seconds, after preserving his tyre performance well.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “With the unusual heat and expected high speeds of Silverstone, coupled with a new asphalt surface, there were some very big demands placed on the tyres this weekend. Despite this, they performed exactly as expected. The difference in performance and degradation between the soft and the hard tyres in Formula 2, led most drivers towards the same strategy. Together with the appropriate tyre management, this resulted in another exciting weekend.”

NEXT RACES Formula 2 and GP3 will next be in action at the Hungaroring near Budapest from July 27-29.

The challenge

• Silverstone is one of the most demanding circuits for the tyres, due in particular to the high lateral loads placed on them through the many quick corners.

• The track was resurfaced earlier in 2018, increasing the amount of grip, making lap times quicker and reducing the degradation.

• The weather at Silverstone is often unpredictable, but with Britain in the midst of a heatwave, hot and dry conditions are expected. The heat combined with the heavy loads can increase surface temperatures.

The tyres and strategy

• The P Zero Ice Blue hard and P Zero Yellow soft tyres have been nominated for F2. Just like in Formula 1, this will be the first appearance of the hard compound this season, emphasising Silverstone’s high demands.

• In F2, each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use over the weekend: three hard and two soft. They also have three sets of wet-weather tyres. During race one, where there is a mandatory pit stop, both compounds have to be used unless it is declared a wet race. Pit stops are optional in race two.

• Just one tyre is nominated for each GP3 round: at Silverstone it’s the hard. Again, this is the first time this will be used this season. Usually, drivers get three new sets of dry tyres plus one carry-over set of mediums from the previous round for us in practice, but instead of carrying over the soft from Austria, teams will get a fourth new set of the hard compound. There are two sets of wet-weather tyres as well.

What happened last year?Charles Leclerc, now racing in Formula 1 with Sauber, won the Formula 2 feature race after starting on the soft tyres before switching to the hards, managing his tyres well despite his high pace. Nicholas Latifi won the sprint race on the hard tyres. In GP3, Russell saw off the challenge of Anthoine Hubert to win the first race, while Giuliano Alesi won the second.

Quote

Mario Isola, Pirelli head of car racing: “Silverstone is one of the most demanding races of the year for the tyres in both categories, thanks to the high-speed corners that take a lot of energy out of them over a prolonged period of time. This year, we have the added challenge of a new surface, which the drivers and teams will have to quickly assess during free practice, and what is likely to be hot weather over the weekend – although in England it’s always hard to make any firm prediction! Hopefully these factors will lead to a varied mix of strategies, resulting in some exciting and unpredictable races, just as we saw during the last time out in Austria.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship and GP3 Series, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com and www.gp3series.com

FORMULA 2

Feature Race, the winner: ART Grand Prix driver George Russell started on the supersoft before pitting for the soft under the safety car, shortly after the pit stop window opened. The same tactic was adopted by all but three drivers, meaning that Russell had to hold his nerve, manage his tyres, and fight his way back to the front, with yet another safety car appearing later in the race. There was plenty of strategic variation, with different battles all the way down the field and the final classification in doubt all the way to the chequered flag.

George Russell: “The degradation on the supersoft tyres at the start was enormous. So the first half of the race was really tricky, and after the first safety car period we ended up coming out behind three drivers who had yet to pit. That was a tricky scenario for us – whether to push to get past these guys or stay back and save the tyres. In the end, it was just a case of managing the tyres and managing the gap to the guys behind me. It wasn’t easy, but we got the 25 points.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Arjun Maini (Trident), Artem Markelov (Russian Time) and Sean Gelael (Prema) started the race on the soft tyre and did not stop under the first safety car. This put them into the leading group, but they were forced to run longer on the slower tyre and then pit towards the end of the race for the supersoft. Markelov made the best of this strategy, eventually finishing eighth after being the last driver to stop on lap 35 (from the lead).

Sprint Race, the winner: Renault junior Markelov won by five seconds from Russell, with the whole field on the soft tyre and no pit stops. Markelov started from pole and controlled degradation perfectly, in warm conditions, to take a commanding victory.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Tyre management was an important part of Ferrari junior Callum Ilott’s win from pole. He made an ideal start and was able to maintain his advantage despite a safety car. His second win in a row gave him the championship lead, after former leader Antoine Hubert dropped down the order following contact.

Sprint Race, the winner: ART driver Jake Hughes took his first win after the front row starters collided, which enabled him to build an early cushion. Hughes then had an intense fight with Trident’s Pedro Piquet, who momentarily took the lead, but then lost ground after using up his DRS allocation. With high degradation, looking after the tyres was paramount once more.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “The Red Bull Ring is a circuit that might look straightforward but in reality is very challenging, especially as we nominated the softest tyres available in each category. These provided high performance but also required some degree of management, as degradation levels meant there was plenty of action. As a result we saw some exciting races and a lot of skill from the drivers in both F2 and GP3, who were able to use their tyres in the most effective way. Once again, both series underlined their reputations as the perfect stepping stones to Formula 1 this weekend.”

NEXT RACESFormula 2 and GP3 returns for the final venue of the Formula 1 triple-header, at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone from July 6-8.

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The challenge

• With the focus on long straights and slow corners, the forces from braking and acceleration are more significant than the lateral demands at the Red Bull Ring.

• Two consecutive corners in the middle sector – the only two left-handers on the circuit – provide the biggest lateral demands. The loaded tyres come into these corners cold, as otherwise they are not particularly stressed around the lap.

• The track’s location in the Styrian mountains means that the weather can be variable, with rain showers a common feature.

The tyres and strategy

• The P Zero Yellow soft and P Zero Red supersoft tyres have been nominated for Formula 2: the two softest tyres in the range. This combination was previously nominated earlier this year in Monaco.

• In Formula 2, each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use over the weekend: three soft and two supersoft. They also have three sets of wet-weather tyres. During race one, where there is a mandatory pit stop, both compounds have to be used unless it is declared a wet race. Pit stops are optional in race two.

• Just one tyre is nominated for each GP3 round: in Austria it’s the soft. Drivers get three new sets of dry tyres plus one carry-over set of mediums from the Paul Ricard round, which must be returned after free practice. There are two sets of wet-weather tyres as well.

Quote

Mario Isola, Pirelli head of car racing: “There aren’t many corners at the Red Bull Ring and it’s a short lap – but this means that everything has to be exactly right over the course of the lap, the margins are very small, and that traffic can be an issue. The track surface is reasonably new and smooth, so not a lot of energy is taken out of the tyres. This enables us to nominate the softest compounds in the range, but drivers still have to take care not to over-drive them.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship and GP3 Series, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com and www.gp3series.com

The challenge

• The Paul Ricard track provides a varied challenge for the tyres, with a mixture of different corners. The high-speed Signes turn and long double right-hander at Le Beausset are two of the most demanding corners for the tyres.

• A new smooth surface was laid in readiness for the return of F1, which offers increased grip with reduced rates of wear and degradation.

• The F2 and GP3 teams and drivers tested at Paul Ricard in March and February respectively, so they have existing data about how the tyres will behave, but temperatures are expected to be much higher over the race weekend.

The tyres and strategy

• The P Zero White medium and P Zero Red supersoft tyres have been nominated for F2. This combination, with two steps between the two compounds, was previously used earlier this year in Baku.

• In F2, each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use over the weekend: three medium and two supersoft. They also have three sets of wet-weather tyres. During race one, where there is a mandatory pit stop, both compounds have to be used unless it is declared a wet race. Pit stops are optional in race two.

• Just one tyre is nominated for each GP3 round: in Paul Ricard it’s the medium. Drivers get three new sets of dry tyres plus one carry-over set from the Barcelona round, which must be returned after free practice. There are two sets of wet-weather tyres as well.

Quote

Mario Isola, Pirelli head of car racing: “There are a number of interesting question marks as we head to Paul Ricard: firstly about the track itself, which is all-new, and secondly about the strategic variations that will be possible thanks to the ‘step’ between tyre nominations in Formula 2. In the past we have seen that this has led teams to different tactical philosophies and unpredictable racing, so hopefully this will be the case again. Warmer weather should in theory increase thermal degradation, while by contrast the new track surface leads to very low levels of wear and degradation. So we’re set for an intriguing weekend, where anything could happen.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

Feature Race, the winner: Markelov ran in third early on behind Alex Albon and Nyck de Vries, with all three having started on the soft tyres. Albon and de Vries later made contact as they went to pit under a mid-race safety car, ultimately ending their races. Markelov remained out, lapping quickly in clean air to build a lead before pitting for the supersoft tyres with only five laps remaining and emerging ahead of his main rivals, who had pitted early in the race.

Artem Markelov: “When I started the race I was trying to sit behind the guys and get a good enough gap to the cars behind while looking after the tyres. When I had a free gap at the front, I was trying to make a gap to the cars behind and make a clear pit-stop to finish P1.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Sean Gelael (Prema Racing) came from 12th on the grid to finish in second place, thanks in part to his strategy of starting on the supersoft tyre. He pitted early to change to the soft tyre, and after making a crucial overtake, the safety car allowed him to close up behind the drivers who had yet to pit. Ex-Formula 1 driver Roberto Merhi completed the podium for MP Motorsport with a similar strategy. Lando Norris also started on supersofts from 17th on the grid and finished sixth in the race, increasing his championship lead.

Sprint Race, the winner: Fuoco, part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, led the sprint race from start to finish, where all drivers started on the soft tyre with no mandatory pit-stops. Fuoco handled pressure from Norris through several safety car periods to score a first win for the Charouz Racing System team.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “Tyre strategy ensured that we had an intriguing feature race, even after the unusual incident that eliminated two main contenders. Markelov used the tyre management skills that he has gained over his time in the championship to win the race, even though the safety car had meant his strategy was not the ideal one to be on. Others meanwhile benefited from gambling on a safety car, which is of course always a common occurrence in Monaco.”

NEXT RACEThe next round of the Formula 2 Championship will be at Paul Ricard in France on June 23-24, where the GP3 Series will also return to action.

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

The challenge

• Monaco is the slowest circuit on the calendar, so mechanical grip from the tyres is more important for cornering speeds than the aerodynamics of the cars. Wear and degradation are low however.

• Particularly in Monaco, there is considerable track evolution over the course of the event as more rubber is laid down on the public roads during each session, increasing the grip available.

• The nature of the track in Monaco means that safety cars are always likely during the races. Races can be won and lost based on strategy, and the timing of pit-stops in particular, in these moments.

The tyres and strategy

• For Monaco, Pirelli supplies the P Zero Yellow soft tyres and the P Zero Red supersoft tyres: the two softest tyres in the Formula 2 range. This is the first time this particular combination has been nominated in 2018.

• Each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use over the weekend: three soft and two supersoft. They also have three sets of wet-weather tyres. During race one, where there is a mandatory pit stop, both compounds have to be used unless it is declared a wet race. Pit stops are optional in race two.

• Qualifying is split into two sessions for Formula 2 in Monaco, in order to reduce the problem of traffic around the tight and narrow circuit.

What happened last year?

On his home streets, Charles Leclerc claimed pole position, but Oliver Rowland claimed the feature race win after jumping to the head of the field by pitting under safety car. The top four finishers started on the soft before moving to the supersoft, with Luca Ghiotto in fifth the best finisher on the alternate strategy. Nyck de Vries won the sprint race on the soft tyres.

Quote

Mario Isola, Pirelli head of car racing: “Monaco holds a unique place on the calendar and so there are some unique traditions: qualifying on a Thursday, and the session split into two parts. This underlines the importance of qualifying, because overtaking is so tricky. As a result, it will be more important than ever for the drivers to work out how to get the very most of the tyres during the limited time available for free practice. With a relatively high incidence of safety cars, those starting further down the grid could think about using an alternative strategy to take advantage of any race incidents by doing something different to the frontrunners.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

FORMULA 2

Feature Race, the winner: ART Grand Prix driver George Russell chose to start on the mediums before stopping to switch to the soft tyre on lap 25: a similar strategy to most of the frontrunners. He stopped on exactly the same lap as Prema’s Nyck de Vries, who finished second. The race was affected by four virtual safety cars.

George Russell: “With this new surface at Barcelona nobody really knew what the tyre degradation was going to be like. On top of that, at the start of the race, it was spitting with rain, which was making it very difficult for us at the front. All in all, a great race though.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Carlin’s Lando Norris used the opposite strategy, starting on the soft and pitting early for the mediums. Despite being on the slower tyre for much of the race he showed great pace to finish third.

Sprint Race, the winner: In drying conditions, ART’s Jack Aitken made an excellent start from the second row of the grid to take the lead on the first lap, which he never lost. All the drivers used the medium tyres from start to finish, again with two virtual safety cars.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Managing tyre degradation was key to the 22-lap feature race, with Nikita Mazepin (who will test with Force India this week) leading an ART one-two-three. The medium tyre was nominated last weekend, with the drivers able to use their experience of Barcelona from pre-season testing. Antoine Hubert, in second, managed his tyres particularly well by conserving them at the start of the race for a late charge.

Sprint Race, the winner: Sunday’s race was held in damp conditions, with all the drivers using the wet tyre apart from MP Motorsport’s Will Palmer on slicks. Ferrari junior Giuliano Alesi won from pole for Trident, while another intelligent race and second place from Hubert gave him the GP3 points lead.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “We saw a very mixed weekend in terms of strategy and weather at Barcelona, which again led to unpredictable and exciting races both in Formula 2 and GP3. The track surface in Barcelona has changed considerably after being re-asphalted, but the drivers soon understood the challenge and were able to adapt their use of the tyres to the varied conditions. This was especially the case in Sunday’s GP3 race, when Giuliano Alesi did a particularly good job in driving on a drying track.”

NEXT RACES

Formula 2 is back at the Monaco Grand Prix in two weeks, alongside Formula 1, whereas GP3 returns at the French Grand Prix from June 22-24.

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Feature Race, the winner: Norris, a McLaren reserve driver in Formula 1, stamped his authority by winning from pole position. Like most drivers, he chose to start on the medium tyre and then switched to the soft, consistently pulling out an advantage over his pursuers in the early stages. All the stops took place within roughly the same pit stop window during the 32-lap race, between laps 14 and 18. Nonetheless, Norris emerged from his stop on lap 18 without losing the lead, finishing ahead of his team mate Sergio Sette Camara.

Lando Norris: “Formula 2 is about having to manage the tyres; trying to push the right amount and conserve the right amount: getting that balance right. You’re always concentrating, on braking right and not locking up and not wheelspinning or sliding or anything: just every lap you’re concentrating on all those things. You can’t relax, and that’s what makes it so challenging. But it was the perfect result for us.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Artem Markelov (Russian Time) was forced into a different approach after his car stalled on the grid and he had to start from the pit lane. He too began on the medium tyre before switching to soft. Incredibly, he worked his way up to third at the flag, thanks to a well-timed pit stop and a fighting drive.The Trident drivers (Santino Ferrucci and Arjun Maini) were the only ones to try an alternative strategy, starting on soft and then switching to medium. This wasn’t a tactic that made a difference though.

Sprint Race, the winner: Last year’s sprint race was sensationally won by Charles Leclerc, now driving for Sauber in Formula 1, by making a pit stop even though it wasn’t compulsory. This lesson was taken on board, with Prema driver Nick de Vries (the same team as Leclerc’s in 2017) being one of the drivers to try it this year, pitting from the lead on lap nine to swap the soft tyre for the medium. Equipped with faster rubber he began to make his way through the field, all the way to fifth at the finish. Race winner Artem Markelov adopted a more conventional strategy, winning on the medium tyres from sixth on the reverse grid without making a pit stop.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “The Feature Race panned out as we expected, with nearly all the drivers following the medium-soft strategy, although it was interesting to see a few drivers try the ‘Leclerc strategy’ in the Sprint Race, but with not quite the same degree of success as last year. Degradation was generally quite high on Sunday – but actually not on Saturday – with Bahrain now being the venue that has the roughest track surface of the year. There were also some high temperatures during the day but all the drivers managed these challenges well; especially Norris and Markelov.”

NEXT RACE

The next round of the Formula 2 Championship takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from April 27-29.

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

The challenge

• Bahrain’s Sakhir International Circuit features three long straights and some relatively slow corners. Traction and braking are therefore key, placing demands on the rear tyres.

• High temperatures mean that thermal degradation can be a significant factor, particularly as the Formula 2 races will take place during the day, unlike Formula 1.

• The teams all took part in three days of pre-season testing at the circuit last month, so the race weekend could demonstrate who made best use of that running.

The tyres and strategy

• This year’s Formula 2 tyres are similar to those used last season. The construction is almost the same, with just a few minor differences. The compounds are also very close to those used in 2017, but not identical.

• In Bahrain, the P Zero White medium and P Zero Yellow soft tyres will be available, as was the case at the same circuit last year. This represents the middle of the Pirelli range for Formula 2, with hard and supersoft compounds also available to be nominated during the season.

• Each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use over the weekend: three medium and two soft. They also have three sets of wet-weather tyres. During race one, where there is a mandatory pit stop, both compounds have to be used unless it is declared a wet race. Pit stops are optional in race two.

What happened last year?

The 2017 Bahrain round was one of the most notable ever in terms of tyre strategy, as Charles Leclerc won race two in unusual fashion with a pit stop for a change of tyres mid-way through. From sixth on the grid, Leclerc fought his way to the front on medium tyres and built up a big lead before pitting for the soft tyres. He returned to the track in 14th place but was able to use the speed from the soft tyre to move through the pack within nine laps.

Artem Markelov had also used strategy to win the first race, making his medium tyres last two laps longer than Leclerc and Norman Nato before using fresher soft tyres to overtake both late on.

Quote

Mario Isola, Pirelli head of car racing: “There haven’t been any big changes to the Formula 2 tyres since last year, but we modified the construction slightly to take into account the new turbo engine – which generates more torque – as well as the increased front downforce of the latest F2 chassis. Bahrain is a circuit that’s all about traction, so the drivers will have to manage their rear tyres in particular. Strategy as always will be very important: Formula 2 drivers don’t have to start the race using the tyres on which they qualify, which opens up the possibility of different tactics. Charles Leclerc used an innovative strategy in the sprint race last year by making a pit stop. While it seems an unlikely option again, motorsport is a constant learning process for everyone, so I’m sure that all the teams will have paid close attention to see if they can learn anything from it for this year.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.comFor more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

Artem Markelov: “I had a really good start and tried to get a gap to the guys behind but I was also thinking of tyre degradation, so I was trying to look after them and calm down. After my stop, I was really struggling on my first two laps with the wheels locking, but I still managed to have a gap to Charles, so I wasn’t worried.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Newly-crowned champion Leclerc ran the opposite strategy: starting on soft to lead for a large part of the race after the supersoft starters pitted. He then switched to supersoft on lap 23, but experienced tyre degradation at the finish – obeying team orders to let his team mate Fuoco past him.

Sprint Race, the winner: Leclerc added to his remarkable season by sealing a seventh win this year on the final lap, when he passed ART’s Alexander Albon, who had led from the beginning. The sprint race was held in warm temperatures, and was all about preserving the soft tyre for the duration of the 22-lap encounter, with no mandatory pit stops.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Arden’s Niko Kari triumphed in the Feature Race, which was disrupted by two Virtual Safety Cars, managing his soft tyres perfectly at every re-start. The Finn built his victory on a bold overtaking move at the first corner and was never headed – despite an intense battle behind him.

Sprint Race, the winner: Another debut win was taken, this time by Trident’s Dorian Boccolacci. His team mate Ryan Tveter, who started from reverse pole, finished second after being overtaken on lap three.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “Tyre strategy was at the centre of the Formula 2 feature race, which was held in the evening under the lights. The GP3 race was a completely different challenge, all about making the soft tyres last in the heat of the day. It's been another thrilling season in which we’ve seen some very exciting races and talented drivers in both championships. We've also been privileged to enjoy another perfect collaboration with the series promoters, who once more have done a brilliant job this year.”

NEXT RACES Formula 2 will resume at the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix Prix from April 7-8, with GP3 to restart at the Spanish Grand Prix from May 12-13 – although there is a busy schedule of testing planned before then: including sessions at Abu Dhabi this week.

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For further information please contact: Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com

Pirelli has nominated the P Zero Yellow soft and P Zero Red supersoft tyres for use in F2, with the soft compound to be made available for GP3. On Sunday night, at the gala awards night for both championships, Pirelli will be presenting prizes to the top GP3 driver, as well as the best rookie in Formula 2 – as voted for by an international panel of journalists.

The challenge for the tyres:

The Yas Marina circuit features three distinct sectors. Sector one is made up of the fastest and longest corners which place high lateral forces on the tyres. The middle sector consists mostly of two long straights, while the final third of the lap is characterised by slower, twisting corners.

With a smooth track surface, wear is fairly low, but good traction is crucial to carrying speed onto the long straights and out of the slow corners. Drivers need to avoid wheelspin in order to preserve the rear tyres.

Setup is a compromise, but medium downforce is favoured in order to ensure good speed down the straights. This places the emphasis on mechanical grip from the tyres for carrying speed around the circuit’s 21 corners.

Pirelli’s head of car racing says:

Mario Isola: “Just as in Formula 1, Abu Dhabi provides a spectacular finale to another great season in both Formula 2 and GP3. The Yas Marina circuit provides an all-round challenge for the drivers and also the tyres, with a combination of high-speed short straights and more technical sections. Unlike Formula 1, the races in Formula 2 and GP3 will take place in the day, with high track temperatures. These varied demands mean drivers will need to consider how best to use their tyres during the course of a race: an important skill for them to learn on the way to F1.”

The race and the rules: Formula 2 Every car will have five sets of dry tyres and three sets of wet weather tyres available for the Formula 2 race weekend. The five sets of dry tyres comprise three sets of the soft compound and two sets of the supersoft compound.

The drivers can use their tyre allocation in any way they like, but at least one set of each compound must be used in the feature race (unless it is a wet race). One set of the harder compound must be returned after free practice.

Qualifying takes place at 19:00 on Friday, after practice at 11:30. The feature race on Saturday at 18:40 lasts 31 laps and each driver must complete one compulsory pit stop. This cannot take place within the first six laps. Unlike Formula 1, the drivers do not have to start the race using the tyres they qualified on.

The grid for the sprint race on Sunday at 14:10 is determined by the finishing order of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed. It is run over 22 laps, with no compulsory pit stops.

GP3 Every car will have three sets of dry tyres and two sets of wet weather tyres available for the GP3 race weekend. Only one compound is nominated: soft for Abu Dhabi. The drivers can use the tyre allocation in any way they like.

Drivers are also allowed to carry over one additional tyre set from the previous round for use in free practice only, but this will not be the case in Abu Dhabi, for logistical reasons. As a result, the GP3 teams will have four new sets of soft tyres at the start of the weekend.

Qualifying takes place at 15:10 on Saturday after a single free practice session on Friday at 10:15. Race 1 starts at 12:20 on Saturday and lasts for 18 laps, followed by Race Two at 18:40 on Sunday (lasting 31 laps). The grid for Race 2 is determined by the finishing order of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed.

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For further information please contact:

Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com F2 drivers will have P Zero Yellow soft and Red supersoft tyres available in Abu Dhabi P Zero Yellow soft tyres will be used in GP3

Feature Race, the winner: With his eighth victory of the season, Prema’s Charles Leclerc won the Feature Race to clinch the inaugural Formula 2 title of the modern era. Leclerc had built up a lead of more than 10 seconds from pole by the time he stopped to change from soft to the used medium tyres he had run in the early part of qualifying. After his stop, he emerged in the midfield and then set about passing the drivers who had started on the medium, before having to defend his lead when the Safety Car emerged close to the end of the race.

Charles Leclerc: “On the soft tyres we were very, very quick, but then we were struggling more on the medium. When I saw the Safety Car come out, I thought ‘OK, it’s going to get a lot harder now!’ but actually we managed to stay in front. In Formula 2, it’s clear that tyre management is a big part of the championship.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Prema driver Antonio Fuoco finished on the podium after starting 15th on the grid using the medium compound for his first stint. Following Leclerc’s pit stop, Fuoco took over the lead before moving to the faster soft for the final stint. His alternative strategy very nearly worked, assisted also by a late Safety Car that erased Leclerc’s advantage. In the end, Fuoco finished third: just under a second behind the winner.

Sprint Race, the winner: Tyre strategy was again a hallmark of the sprint race, with Leclerc and Fuoco opting to pit for soft tyres at just over the halfway point, to benefit from the extra speed of this compound. For a long time, it looked like this innovative tactics would work, before they began to slip out of contention at the very end: finishing seventh and fifth respectively. Russian time’s Artem Markelov won after taking the lead on lap 23, having run the medium tyres from start to finish.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Nirei Fukuzumi led an ART one-two-three from pole, winning ahead of his team mates George Russell and Jack Aitken. Their intense battle allowed Fukuzumi to pull clear, claiming his second win of the season. The whole field ran on hard tyres, with very low levels of wear and degradation.

Sprint Race, the winner: Russell finished fifth to clinch the title at the end of the 17-lap race, while Jenzer’s Alessio Lorandi took his debut victory, leading from start to finish. The hard tyres allowed all the drivers to push to the maximum, despite the warm temperatures in Spain.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “An exciting weekend in Jerez, with some tense races in both Formula 2 and GP3, crowned two very deserving champions. Both have won many races this year, and it’s no co-incidence that they have already been recruited as juniors by the top two teams in Formula 1. Tyre strategy was at the heart of both races in Formula 2 this weekend, with Leclerc and Fuoco opting for a radical strategy in the sprint race that came within one lap of working extremely well. As Leclerc says, managing the tyres properly is an essential part of Formula 2. In GP3, the hard tyre on the recently-resurfaced Jerez track proved to be extremely durable, with not so much tyre management needed on this occasion.”

NEXT RACES

Formula 2 and GP3 will resume for the final round in Abu Dhabi from November 24-26, back alongside Formula 1 after the one-off stand-alone race in Jerez.

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For further information please contact:

Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com

At its home rounds, Pirelli will supply the P Zero White medium tyre and P Zero Yellow soft tyre for Formula 2, with the soft nominated as the sole compound for GP3.

Pirelli will also host the launch of the new for 2018 Formula 2 car, which will take place in the Formula 1 paddock at Monza at 13:15 on Thursday.

Pirelli’s head of car racing says:

Mario Isola: “The Monza weekend is one we always look forward to at Pirelli, and that includes the Formula 2 and GP3 races, which are often action-packed thanks to the good overtaking opportunities the circuit provides. With equal opportunities from the cars, driving talent comes to the forefront. As track position can be less important than at other circuits, there will be good strategic opportunities for the F2 teams to take advantage of in the feature race. In GP3, we often see that race pace – and the ability to preserve the performance of the tyres – is more important to a strong result than qualifying speed. Another event we’re looking forward to is the launch of the new Formula 2 car for 2018 and beyond: we’re privileged to host this important event in our Formula 1 fitting area on Thursday.”

The challenge for the tyres:

Monza’s long straights make it the fastest circuit on the calendar, and teams set the cars up with low-downforce configurations in order to maximise top speeds. This means that through the corners, the drivers rely more on the mechanical grip from the tyres than the aerodynamic grip.

The long straights are punctuated by chicanes, where heavy braking and traction mean longitudinal forces are applied to the tyres. There are also sustained lateral forces through the long Curva Grande and Parabolica corners.

The tyres are also tested by the many impacts every lap with the kerbs around the Monza layout, particularly in the chicanes.

Warm weather is likely over the course of the weekend, especially with Italy emerging from a particularly hot summer. This will increase the demands on the tyres further.

The race and the rules:

Formula 2 Every car will have five sets of dry tyres and three sets of wet weather tyres available for the Formula 2 race weekend. The five sets of dry tyres comprise three sets of the medium compound and two sets of the soft compound.

The drivers can use their tyre allocation in any way they like, but at least one set of each compound must be used in the feature race (unless it is a wet race). One set of the harder compound must be returned after free practice.

Qualifying takes place at 16:20 on Friday, after practice at 11:55. The feature race on Saturday at 16:00 lasts 30 laps and each driver must complete one compulsory pit stop. This cannot take place within the first six laps. Unlike Formula 1, the drivers do not have to start the race using the tyres they qualified on.

The grid for the sprint race on Sunday at 10:15 is determined by the finishing order of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed. It is run over 21 laps, with no compulsory pit stops.

GP3 Every car will have three sets of dry tyres and two sets of wet weather tyres available for the GP3 race weekend. Only one compound is nominated: soft for this weekend. The drivers can use the tyre allocation in any way they like.

Drivers are allowed to carry over one tyre set from the previous round for use in free practice only. This will be the medium compound from Spa.

Qualifying takes place at 09:45 on Saturday after a single free practice session on Friday at 18:15. Race 1 starts at 17:50 on Saturday and lasts for 22 laps, followed by Race Two at 09:00 on Sunday (lasting 17 laps). The grid for Race 2 is determined by the finishing order of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed.

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Feature Race, the winner: Charles Leclerc was a dominant winner on the road, starting on the P Zero Yellow soft tyre before switching to the White medium on lap 10. However, the Prema-run Ferrari junior was subsequently excluded post-race, although he maintains his championship lead. The exclusion handed victory to Artem Markelov (Russian Time).

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Starting ninth on the grid, Markelov deployed the alternative strategy to Leclerc and most of the other frontrunners, beginning the race on the medium tyre and pitting for the soft on lap 15. He rejoined the race in sixth place but used the superior performance of the soft to charge towards the front, making a final corner pass on Oliver Rowland (DAMS), who was excluded for the same infringement as championship rival Leclerc.

Sprint Race, the winner: Sergio Sette Camara shot from third on the grid at the start to win the Sprint Race, with all the drivers on the medium tyre and no mandatory pitstops. After his great start, the Brazilian rookie (MP Motorsport) managed his tyres well for his maiden win. Leclerc finished fifth from 19th on the grid.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Mercedes junior George Russell won the opening race after starting on pole position, with all drivers on the medium tyre. His ART team-mate and Honda protege Nirei Fukuzumi slipstreamed into the lead on the first lap, but Russell was able to reply without compromising his tyres. Another ART driver, the Renault Sport Academy’s Jack Aitken, finished second after a late battle with Fukuzumi.

Sprint Race, the winner: Giuliano Alesi scored his third consecutive Sunday win from second on the reversed grid. Russell had another strong drive to finish in second place from eighth on the grid and increase his championship advantage.

Pirelli quote

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “In Formula 2 we saw a dominant performance on the road from Leclerc, who was able to maintain a very high pace despite the need to manage the tyres on a circuit that places many demands on them. Markelov made the alternative strategy work in a thrilling finish against Rowland, and was ultimately rewarded with the win. Tyre management was also a factor in GP3, with Russell preserving his rubber well for two strong results, on the longest circuit on the calendar.”

Next races

Formula 2 and GP3 move straight on to another famous circuit next weekend: the high-speed Monza in Italy.

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For further information please contact: Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com

In F2, the P Zero White medium and P Zero Yellow soft tyres have been nominated, while GP3 will use the P Zero White medium compound. This is a different nomination to last year, when GP2 used hard and soft.

Next week, there will be a Formula 1 test at the Hungaroring with a number of drivers from Formula 2 and GP3 getting a chance to drive at the very top level: including Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Gustav Malja.

Pirelli’s head of car racing says:

Mario Isola: “Although the speeds are relatively low, the Hungaroring works the tyres hard throughout the lap. This has been considered with our selections of the medium and soft compounds for Formula 2 and medium for GP3, with the intention that as usual drivers will have to display some degree of tyre management: an important skill for them to learn on the way to Formula 1. It could also help to create close racing at a circuit where overtaking is not easy.”

The challenge for the tyres:

The Hungaroring layout is likened to ‘Monaco without the barriers’, and the average speeds are low. However, with few straights and many corners, the tyres are being constantly worked during the lap with traction, braking and lateral forces.

The lack of straights means teams can run with maximum downforce, but given the relatively low speeds, there is an emphasis on mechanical grip from the tyres rather than aerodynamic grip.

The track was resurfaced last year; with the asphalt one year older the grip characteristics may have changed.

The temperatures are often very high in Hungary in July, so thermal degradation can be a factor, particularly as there is no rest for the tyres, with corner after corner. Rain can be common as well.

The race and the rules: Formula 2 Every car will have five sets of dry tyres and three sets of wet weather tyres available for the Formula 2 race weekend. The five sets of dry tyres comprise three sets of the medium compound and two sets of the soft compound.
The drivers can use their tyre allocation in any way they like, but at least one set of each compound must be used in the feature race (unless it is a wet race). One set of the harder compound must be returned after free practice.

Qualifying takes place at 15:55 on Friday, after practice at 11:55. The feature race on Saturday at 16:00 lasts 37 laps and each driver must complete one compulsory pit stop. This cannot take place within the first six laps. Unlike Formula 1, the drivers do not have to start the race using the tyres they qualified on.

The grid for the sprint race on Sunday at 10:20 is determined by the finishing order of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed. It is run over 28 laps, with no compulsory pit stops.

GP3 Every car will have three sets of dry tyres and two sets of wet weather tyres available for the GP3 race weekend. Only one compound is nominated: medium for this weekend. The drivers can use the tyre allocation in any way they like.
Drivers are allowed to carry over one tyre set from the previous round for use in free practice only. This will be the hard tyre from Silverstone.

Qualifying takes place at 09:45 on Saturday morning, after a single free practice session on Friday at 17:50. Race 1 starts at 17:35 on Saturday and lasts for 22 laps, followed by Race Two at 09:10 on Sunday (lasting 17 laps). The grid for Race 2 is determined by the finishing order of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed.

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