US GP: Pirelli predicts straightforward one-stop race at Austin
Pirelli says the United States Grand Prix is going to be another straightforward one-stop race thanks to the zero degradation experienced by drivers
The smooth track surface, allied to the choice of medium and hard compounds for this weekend, has left Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery in no doubt that there will be little strategy variation on Sunday.
"There is absolutely no degradation. Nothing," he said when asked by AUTOSPORT for his predictions for the race.
"There is a risk of overheating tyres if the drivers get into wheel spin, but that is something that they have been managing through the season and have got better at.
"There will be shoulder wear like recent tracks, but the rest of the tyre can probably last the whole weekend."
Hembery believes there would be some track evolution throughout the weekend, which could change matters, as could warmer temperatures - but everything was set for a one-stop race.
"The lower temperatures here and the harder tyres are all factors," he said. "It will be more interesting when we have had some more support events going on.
"The temperatures are lower than anticipated. We thought they [track temperature] would be up in the 40s based on forecast we had seen, so from that point of view it has been a big factor as well. But it's looking like a one-stop."
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| Series | Formula 1 |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
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