New Monza surface could be hell for Pirelli’s

This weekend’s Formula 1 Grand Prix at Monza will play out over a newly laid surface, with the significantly darker coloured track set to play a huge part in tyre strategy with soaring temperatures expected.

The historic track in Ferrari’s heartland has had a complete resurface after it was given an ultimatum to upgrade or face losing its future F1 contract renewal, with its ageing facilities also in the gun – which also got a makeover.

With the new and much darker surface only having recently had its finishing touches, it leaves plenty of questions about how it will affect this weekend’s race, especially given the predicted temperatures of 34 (Friday), 34 (Saturday), and 33 degrees for race day.

With the surface temperature expected to be anywhere around 50 degrees, the darker surface will cause much more heat to be retained, and be punishing in the distance stakes of the highly favoured C5 soft Pirelli’s.

(Also having changed significantly is the kerb heights through the chicane’s, with the ones as the Ascari chicane being much flatter which will greatly change the approach for the drivers – see Daniel Ricciardo’s comments further down the article).

Whilst we could see track records fall over single lap runs, the degradation will be high, which would likely make it a two-stop race as teams keep a close eye on the tyre overheating.

The kerbs at the chicanes have also been lowered, which will surely alter any traditional knowledge of approach

With teams normally running the lowest aero setup of the season to maximise speed and minimise drag at Monza, will that same set-up hasten the tyre degradation if track temp is expected to reach its predictions?

When Pirelli engineers inspected the track earlier in the month, Pirelli’s pre-race media release commented:

“As is usually the case with newly laid asphalt, the surface is smoother than its predecessor and darker in colour.

“This latter factor will have an impact on track temperature, which if the sun is shining could see it get hotter than in the past, even reaching significant highs of over 50 °C.

“In theory, it should offer more grip, which will impact tyre performance and their operating temperature range.

“It is highly likely that track evolution will be very high over the course of the weekend, as the various categories racing at this event rack up the laps.”

It’s in Italian, but you get the gist!

Other changes to the track itself, is that the kerbing has been significantly altered in some areas, which Daniel Ricciardo thought to be a negative thing in terms of preserving the traditional and much loved characteristics of the historic track.

“They’ve changed the kerbs. I went around the track this morning. I can’t say I’m that impressed because I think some elements have lost some of the character of the circuit,” Ricciardo said.

“…kerbs and things like this…they make a circuit unique, and when you just kind of put some flat kerbs and stuff, like the second chicane (turn five) you get over the kerb and then there was like a thin concrete strip and then gravel.

“In the past you’d always just try and run your wheels on that little bit of concrete and use all the track, but not too much.

“…I think it was kind of old-school and now that’s gone. We haven’t driven it yet but the resurfacing looks great. The asphalt looks really nice, but the kerbs, I’m a bit disappointed in.”

All of this gives Friday’s two Free Practice sessions significantly more weight, as teams will be well tested with data in both their long run and qualifying simulations, with the temperature’s offering up much of what they’ll experience come Sunday’s race.

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