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What tyres will the teams and drivers have for the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix?
Formula 1 heads to Belgium as we get set to go racing for the final time before the summer break, and Pirelli have announced which tyres the teams and drivers will get their hands on this weekend.
F1’s Official tyre suppliers have announced that the teams will have the option to run the C2, C3, and C4 compounds at Spa-Francorchamps, as Pirelli look to combat the compression that the tyres will go through at Eau Rouge.
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Following the trial of Pirelli’s Alternative Tyre Allocation last weekend in Budapest – where the drivers were given four sets of hard tyres, three sets of mediums and four sets of softs – the teams will get the allocation to which they have become accustomed.
This means the teams will once again be given two sets of the hard tyre (marked white), three sets of the medium tyre (marked yellow), and eight sets of the soft tyre (marked red), as well as the green intermediate tyre and the blue full wets, if needed.
“After just a couple of days off, there’s another Formula 1 race this weekend: the last before the summer break," said Pirelli’s Motorsport Director Mario Isola. "The Belgian Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious races on the calendar, held on a track that’s particularly challenging for drivers, cars, and tyres.
“We’ve nominated the same line-up of compounds as last year – C2, C3, and C4 – to offer a wide range of strategy options; at least if the rain holds off.
“Traditionally, the weather at Spa is a key factor throughout the weekend; the fact that the grand prix has moved dates – from the first race after the summer break to the last race before it – should make little difference, as the forecast is always variable anyway.
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“The length of the track, with Spa being the longest lap of the year, and the variation in elevation – which is also the biggest of the whole season – means that it’s easy to find wet conditions on one part of the track while it’s completely dry elsewhere.
“New for this year is Spa becoming the third Sprint venue of the season, after Baku and Spielberg, with a Sprint Shootout on Saturday morning followed by a 100-kilometre race in the afternoon. With just an hour of free practice before qualifying on Friday (which, for now, seems to be the day most at risk of rain) there will be even less time than usual to set up the cars.
“At Spa, we tend to see some of the biggest differences in terms of aerodynamic setup between the teams: some prefer more downforce in order to push harder during the second sector while others prefer a looser car to have extra speed to attack and defend more down the straights.
“With two races this year, one of the most spectacular venues of the season is set to put on an even bigger show.”
For more information about Pirelli’s F1 tyres, visit pirelli.com.
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