Tyre preview: the softest compounds in action for the third consecutive time

Formula One’s tyre supplier Pirelli has once again brought its softest compounds, supplying teams with the C3, C4 and C5 for the third consecutive race weekend.

While F1 raced in Baku last weekend, the field has now made the long trip from Azerbaijan to the Marina Bay Circuit for the Singapore Grand Prix.

The two venues are around seven thousand kilometres separated which saw the F1 field tackle another logistical challenge of this very long season, moving personnel, cars and equipment in a matter of a couple of days from the shores of the Caspian Sea to the city-state where the Malacca Straights meet the South China Sea.

For the 15th running of the Singapore Grand Prix, Formula One’s tyre supplier Pirelli has chosen the same compounds as last year: C3 as Hard, C4 as Medium and C5 as Soft. In fact, this tyre selection is the same as at the past two races at Monza and Baku, although those circuits feature very different characteristics.

The circuit was modified last year with the aim of making it flow better, but it is still one of the twistiest of the season. Its length is now down to 4.940 kilometres so that the number of laps has been increased to 62.

In the final sector, between what used to include turns 16 to 19, a 400 metre straight has replaced them so that the number of corners has been reduced from 23 to 19. Last year, the work of resurfacing the track began and this year the sections between turns 3 and 9, 10 and 12 and 14 and 17 have also been resurfaced. The bitumen should be similar to that used on public roads generally open to city traffic, but with new asphalt one can expect a smoother surface.

Usually, the Soft is purely a qualifying tyre, with the race laps split between the Medium and the Hard. However, last year the C5 played its part on Sunday, especially in the first stint with drivers wanting to make the most of its extra grip at the start. Degradation at this track is mainly down to thermal stress, not so much on the surface of the tyre, but within it, something one does not see that often and that varies a lot depending on car set-up and the aerodynamic load the cars generate.

As for the strategy, Pirelli noted in its preview: “At the Marina Bay circuit we have often seen first stints where the drivers are trying to go as long as they can, managing their tyres with the aim of balancing the two stints as much as possible.

“This often leads to the formation of a train of cars, all running nose to tail, unable to overtake because there is not enough of a performance difference, this despite the track having three DRS zones. Therefore, in an effort to produce more on-track action, the FIA has decided to introduce a fourth DRS zone for this weekend, between turns 14 and 16 and we will have to wait until Sunday to see if it produces the desired result.

“Adding to the unpredictable nature of this race is the weather. Sitting astride the Equator, Singapore’s climate does not vary, with high humidity, rarely below 70%, with the chance of rain showers, some very heavy, at any time of the day or night.”

Due to the narrow streets, the Safety Car is a common sight here, especially as it takes quite a while to remove a stricken car from the track. There are a couple of factors that make the one-stop the only valid strategy: firstly, the time lost for a tyre change pit stop is around 28 seconds, partly because the pit lane speed limit is reduced to 60 km/h and secondly, overtaking on this track is definitely complicated. A two-stop need only be considered in the event of the race being neutralised.