After a week without a Formula 1 race, the category returns to the circuits to celebrate the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the eighth round of the 2022 calendar.
For this weekend, Pirelli has opted for the following choice of compounds:
- C3 (the hard one, white in color)
- C4 (middle, yellow)
- C5 (the soft one, red in color)
This combination is about the softest possible, as, remember, the C5 is the softest tire in the 2022 range, while the C1 is the hardest. This choice is the same as the one used for the Monaco GP.
Pirelli’s tires for the 2022 F1 Azerbaijan GP
- Due to the characteristics of the Baku street circuit , which combines the complexity of Monaco and the speed of Monza, Pirelli has opted for the three softest compounds in the range: C3 will be hard, C4 will be medium and C5 it will be soft. The choice is the same as last year, but this year’s tire structure and compounds are completely new.
- Baku is an urban circuit with a unique personality, combining fast straights with extremely narrow and technical sections, especially concentrated in turn 9, in the heart of the city. Consequently, unlike in Monaco, where a high-downforce setup is opted for, in Baku the teams tend towards a medium-low downforce , in order to balance the need for grip in the tightest corners and, on the other hand, accommodate the high speeds required on the straights to try to overtake.
- In 2016, on this track, Valtteri Bottas, when he was still a Williams driver, and, of course, with Pirelli tires, exceeded 378 km/h according to his team, thus achieving an unofficial record that remains unbeaten to this day.
- Temperatures can be high, reaching close to 50 degrees on the asphalt, but the figures can vary a lot throughout the lap, due to the buildings that surround the track and draw areas of sun and shade on it.
- Last year, the strategy followed by the winning driver was to stop , although the race was interrupted by a red flag in the closing laps. Most teams opted for a soft-hard strategy, in which the soft was also ridden for the final three laps of the race. This year, the strategies could change, since the rule of using the tire with which you qualified for Q3 at the start has been eliminated.
As usual, Mario Isola , responsible for Pirelli, wanted to offer his opinion on the tires and the track.
“Before the debut in Jeddah, Baku was the fastest street circuit on the calendar. However, it is not too demanding on the tyres, because there are no corners that put heavy loads on the tyres. Abrasion levels are low and lateral forces too, so having the same choice as in Monaco is a consistent option.
“However, it must be said that the high speeds reached on this track put the tires to the test. The key factor here is traction: the main challenge for the teams will be finding the right balance between the front and rear axles, because if You need the front tires to get up to temperature to generate grip, knowing that the long straights will cool the tyres, the heat must not be excessive at the rear, otherwise you risk overheating in the traction zones.”
“In addition, the non-constant temperature of the asphalt contributes to making Baku a circuit with peculiar characteristics and various technical challenges that, however, are the same for everyone.”
Minimum dry tire pressures at the 2022 F1 Azerbaijan GP
- Front: 24.5psi
- Rear: 21.5psi
Maximum tire camber at the 2022 F1 Azerbaijan GP
- Front: -3.25°
- Rear: -1.75°
