Tyre wear will determine strategy: 'Crucial to look after that'

Friday in Miami was quite chaotic. There were many interruptions due to red flags and several drivers ended up next to the track due to spins and small mistakes. According to Pirelli, it will be crucial for the drivers to take care of their tyres, but that is not the only challenge on the brand new circuit.

"There was good grip from the start and tyre wear here seems set to decide the strategy: on paper there seems little to choose between a one-stopper and a two-stopper, but the wear rate will tip the balance," begins Mario Isola on the website of the tyre supplier.

Carlos Sainz even suffered a puncture after a spin during FP1, so a mistake could be very costly during qualifying or the race. "It’s incredibly easy to make a mistake here: with the front-right tyre being the crucial one to look after." The temperature rose to around fifty degrees Celsius, so managing the tyres will play a big role indeed.

Lots of challenges for F1 teams

In addition to getting used to the new track and maintaining the tyres, drivers and teams will also have to deal with potentially wet conditions. "One rogue factor might still be the weather: it was incredibly hot today, but there was a high level of humidity and the risk of heavy rain seems just around the corner, especially on race day," ends the Pirelli boss