02/08/2022
NEWS STORY
Pirelli has revealed the tyre compounds to be used in the Belgian, Dutch and Italian Grands Prix.
For Spa, the Italian manufacturer has nominated the compounds in the middle of its race, the C4, C3 and C2, essentially the same as in 2021.
Spa - located in the foothills of the Ardennes - is of course synonymous with changeable weather, which can also vary on different parts of the circuit.
However, 'changeable' barely covered last year's event which was controversially 'abandoned' after just two laps... behind the safety car.
The forces put through the tyres at Spa are high, especially at the infamous Eau Rouge-Raidillon complex, though this has been modified since last year.
The Kemmel Straight that follows, at nearly 800 metres long, has the effect of cooling the tyres down, which affects grip through the following corners. In fact, from the exit of La Source all the way to Les Combes (which follows the Kemmel Straight) is a distance of just over two kilometres without any braking.
At Zandvoort a week later the hardest tyres in the range will be in use, the C3, C2 and C1, again as used in 2021.
A step into the unknown last year for both Pirelli and the teams, Max Verstappen won his home grand prix with a two-stopper using all three compounds perfectly: starting on the soft, before moving onto the medium, and finishing on the hard.
At Monza, as at Spa, the C4, C3 and C2 will be in use, just like last year.
The Autodromo Nazionale is known for its flat-out straights preceded by heavy braking areas, but with some slower and more technical sections as well.
The long straights also have the effect of cooling the tyres, which can affect the precision of the turn-in during the following corners. But this of course depends also on the weather, which can vary.
The teams run a low downforce package at Monza, in order to minimise drag and so maximise top speed on the straights. This puts the emphasis more on mechanical rather than aerodynamic grip.
| Grand Prix | Soft | Medium | Hard |
| Bahrain | C3 | C2 | C1 |
| Saudi Arabia | C4 | C3 | C2 |
| Australia | C5 | C3 | C2 |
| Emilia Romagna* | C4 | C3 | C2 |
| Miami | C4 | C3 | C2 |
| Spain | C3 | C2 | C1 |
| Monaco | C5 | C4 | C3 |
| Azerbaijan | C5 | C4 | C3 |
| Canada | C5 | C4 | C3 |
| Great Britain | C3 | C2 | C1 |
| Austria | C5 | C4 | C3 |
| France | C4 | C3 | C2 |
| Hungary | C4 | C3 | C2 |
| Belgium | C4 | C3 | C2 |
| Netherlands | C3 | C2 | C1 |
| Italy | C4 | C3 | C2 |