Form guide: it's Red Bull vs tyre graining
Red Bull's pace in Friday practice in India was ominous, but the team struggled with the graining of its softer tyres. MARK HUGHES analyses its chances against the chasing pack
Bringing the medium and soft combination to India was a bold move by Pirelli, effectively two steps softer than last year's choice. The evidence of Friday suggests that this has been enough to tip the option tyre into marginal territory - but marginal only becomes critical on the car with the most downforce, i.e. the Red Bull.
Both Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber struggled with huge wear of the front-right, with Vettel returning after three laps, Webber after four, each with that tyre in shreds. On the harder tyre, the RB9s were very fast, although even then there was a graining period to get through before the tyre stabilised.
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