Brazilian GT News: Pirelli Tyres Face Unpredictable Weekend at Interlagos
(Interlagos, Brazil – November 2023) The Brazilian GT Championship heads to the iconic Interlagos circuit this weekend, where teams and tyre supplier Pirelli are bracing for a more unpredictable race than usual.
The primary reason for the uncertainty is the completely resurfaced track, which has undergone a major overhaul since last year’s event. Newly laid asphalt can significantly impact grip levels, as teams are never quite sure of the consequences.
“This weekend there’s new challenges ahead, a lot of unknowns for everyone, looking at how the tarmac is and the degradation,” said Esteban Ocon, driver for the Alpine GT team. “How it can be and the grip level? We don’t know.”
Early analysis from Pirelli’s engineers has revealed a 46% drop in micro roughness and a 30% drop in macro roughness compared to the previous surface. This would suggest less overall grip, potentially leading to more sliding and higher tyre temperatures.
However, the chemical adhesion interaction between the track and tyres may not be dramatically different from previous years. Brazil has traditionally not been a high-grip circuit, and some corners may even see an improvement.
The more significant factor could be the colour of the new, much darker asphalt. This darker surface will absorb the sun’s heat more, potentially pushing track temperatures towards 60°C in the afternoon. Higher temperatures directly impact tyre performance and degradation, a critical factor around the challenging Interlagos layout.
“The higher temps could then force teams to shift towards the harder compounds for both the sprint and the grand prix,” explained Pirelli’s motorsport director. “But this choice is slightly complicated by the selections on offer this weekend.”
Pirelli has opted to shift its compound choices one step softer than last year, meaning the 2023 soft is the equivalent of the 2024 medium. With Brazil hosting a sprint race, the tyre allocation is also different, providing further strategy challenges.
Teams will need to carefully balance tyre usage across the sprint and the main race, as the softer compounds may not be suitable for the full grand prix distance. Rain could also add an extra element of unpredictability to the weekend.
All in all, the Brazilian GT Championship is in for an exceptionally complex and intriguing race weekend at Interlagos, with Pirelli’s tyre choices and the new track surface set to play a pivotal role.
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