FORMULA 1 ARRIVES IN BOILING HOT AUSTIN
Formula 1 is back in Austin for a hot and tricky weekend. Oscar Piastri leads the standings only 18 points ahead of his team mate Lando Norris and 66 ahead of Verstappen.
Pirelli has changed the tire choices to give teams more strategy options. The C3 and C4 will stay as the medium and soft tires, but the hard tire will now be the C1, which is tougher than before.
Because of the high temperatures, over 30°C, and the Sprint format returning, managing the tires will be more difficult. Pirelli hopes the bigger gap between the hard and soft compounds will create more varied race strategies.
The C1 is slower but lasts longer, which could help teams do only one pit stop. The softer C3 and C4 are faster but wear out more quickly, meaning drivers might need two stops.
The short practice time in the Sprint weekend makes things even harder. Teams will have less data to understand how the tires behave and will have to rely on past information.
Austin’s Circuit of the Americas is famous for its mix of fast and slow corners and its steep uphill Turn 1. The track puts a lot of sideways stress on the tires, and the hot weather increases wear even more.
With new tires, high heat, and the Sprint format, this race could be unpredictable. It’s still unclear if Pirelli’s new tire plan will really lead to more different race strategies or if most teams will still choose the safest option.
In Austin, the main challenge is the heat. With temperatures over 30°C, the FIA has brought back the “heat hazard” rule first used in Singapore. This rule allows drivers to use special cooling vests to help them stay safe and avoid overheating.
The vest works with a small cooling box inside the car. The box keeps a liquid cold, which then moves through thin tubes inside a special shirt the driver wears under the race suit. The cold liquid helps lower body temperature.
Teams are told early in the week if the rule applies, based on weather forecasts. If the temperature is expected to go above 31°C, every car must have the cooling system installed. But wearing the vest is still optional, drivers who choose not to use it must add extra weight to balance the car.
Some drivers say the system helps a lot, while others think it’s uncomfortable or not effective for long races. Still, after the extreme heat problems in Qatar 2023, many agree it’s a useful safety step.
Share this content:
