The third Las Vegas Grand Prix is as soon as once more set to be the coldest race of the F1 season, with temperatures within the low 50s for the evening race in November. This shall be a singular problem for each workforce, and nobody will inform you extra about its uniqueness than Mercedes’ Andrew Shovlin, the workforce’s trackside engineering director who scored a one-two right here final yr.
“Las Vegas is tough. This can be a observe the place we usher in a low-downforce Monza bundle and run it roughly. And we’re truly at fairly a excessive altitude (2,000 ft). -Ed.), additional downforce is misplaced as a result of the truth that the air is thinner.
“With low downforce, it is very tough for the driving force to manage the automobile. However the straights are lengthy, so operating a giant wing is not an choice, since you’ll lose lots on the straights, and you may by no means get better.”
“This can be a difficult avenue observe. It’s extremely, very quick. The partitions are very shut. It’s important to use all of the circuits obtainable. Errors are punished. However the drivers simply do what they all the time do: construct up as grip improves.”
“Right here you not solely get the extent of downforce, however you probably have the temperature of the tires you additionally get the grip. That is the essential factor. It isn’t like a standard circuit the place you actually really feel the distinction within the degree of the wing. An important factor right here is are you able to get the tires within the window? And you probably have it and the opposite individual does not, you might find yourself being a second quicker.”
In gradual corners, it’s essential drive the automobile decrease accordingly. Sam Bagnall/Getty Photos
“We’ve some choices obtainable at wing degree. Our method is to not make pointless variations till 2024 and it is determined by the place we begin on the automobile.”
“We’ve to keep in mind the low grip of the observe at first, so we have to change the place of the automobile to provide it extra stability than the anticipated place in qualifying. And there are quite a lot of choices obtainable.
“However as soon as we all know what sort of issues we’re going through, are the tires scorching sufficient? Are they too scorching? Are they oversteer balanced or understeer balanced? Are they grained within the tires? As soon as we all know the solutions to these, we are able to take a look at particular options to these issues.
“It is a low-speed nook, so it’s important to drive the automobile low. So within the apexes, you wish to get the automobile as near the bottom as doable, so on the straights you are operating into the street. However for a avenue circuit, it is truly fairly easy. There are some noticeable bumps, however general it is fairly easy and you will get the automobile fairly low.”
Though it’s a avenue circuit, the street floor is comparatively easy, however there are nonetheless many issues that may put on out the tires. Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Photos
“We’ve some actually huge stops like Flip 14, which is the place we brake probably the most on the entire calendar. However to be trustworthy, a very powerful factor about this lap is how we obtained the temperature up at first of the lap.”
“It is a fairly busy opening sequence. If you do not have grip there, the entrance both locks up or slides. So the bottom line is are you able to get that temperature up in your out lap? And this circuit is a type of circuits the place for those who begin your lap nicely, it normally ends nicely. As a result of on a standard qualifying lap, you are truly attempting to maintain the tires cool. If the driving force snaps, that punishes them by growing the temperature and lowering the grip. That is truly a type of issues the place the driving force does not have to fret about that, so he can let the automobile slide a bit bit. It isn’t taxing on the drivers like most different circuits.
“It’s important to take a look at tire temperature in numerous methods. It’s essential get the tire temperature as much as soften the rubber, so it’s essential get the tire temperature as much as create grip. That is one of many issues we’re doing on the outlap.”
“However what’s taking place on the street is one thing rather more ephemeral than that. And as quickly as you hit the brakes, the floor temperature begins to rise since you’re slipping. As you get to the apex, as you apply extra energy, that floor temperature will get increased and better. And that is what actually drops down on the straights.”
“One of many challenges right here is that when the driving force truly hits the brakes, the tires are too chilly to create good grip. And that preliminary impression can find yourself with a bit bit much less grip and the entrance locking up extra simply. You do not get that good feeling of the rear of the automobile being locked in.”
“However it’s important to belief that when you get into the braking part, the temperature will come up and the tires will begin to grip. How the grip is obtained is among the issues that they’re getting used to little by little in free follow.”
“We regularly see completely different efficiency rankings right here. It’s tough to check with different circuits as a result of the Barcelona circuit is the one one which experiences winter testing with such temperatures and the circuits are additionally very completely different.”
“Should you take air and observe temperatures out of the equation, it will not be that completely different from Baku or possibly Montreal, however that may put the tires in an space that will not race at another circuit on the calendar.
“That is what makes this circuit so uncommon, aside from the truth that it is a fairly distinctive place. Whenever you noticed the place they had been going to host the race, you thought it might be nearly unattainable to construct a smart circuit right here. However truly, it is a enjoyable circuit. It will give us race and hopefully we’ll have an analogous end result on Saturday evening.”
overview:
Race distance: 50 laps/192.6 miles
2024 pole time: 1 minute 32.312 seconds (George Russell, Mercedes)
2024 Winner: George Russell, Mercedes
Earlier than every Grand Prix, Pirelli gives groups with the earliest theoretical race technique situation based mostly on the particular tire compounds obtainable that weekend. That is outlined by in depth calculations that keep in mind various tire-related elements.
This method requires a special methodology than the one utilized by the workforce, even when the goals are comparable. All knowledge is processed by proprietary software program designed to establish one of the best technique for a single automobile on the observe, with the purpose of finishing the race within the shortest doable time.
The primary data analyzed considerations efficiency variations between the compounds recognized within the pre-event evaluation carried out by the Modeling and Simulation Group. As well as, historic knowledge on earlier yr’s tire degradation on the identical observe and knowledge from the identical compound already utilized in earlier races this season shall be added.
An essential parameter within the calculation is the efficiency life. That is the utmost variety of laps a tire can cowl earlier than its efficiency deteriorates to the purpose the place it’s higher to exchange it. These and different elements permit us to estimate lap instances for every compound, and by additionally taking gas load variations under consideration, we are able to establish the perfect window for tire adjustments.
A key issue that groups think about crucial when deciding on a one-stop or two-stop technique is the time it takes for the automobile to get down the pit lane, change tires and get again on observe, which varies by circuit. The evaluation is up to date all through the race weekend and contains knowledge from observe classes and what Pirelli engineers discovered from the product.
Groups typically use a method referred to as the Monte Carlo technique as a result of they’ve extra knowledge about their vehicles. This additionally takes under consideration random variables resembling visitors quantity, the chance of a security automobile being deployed, and the benefit of overtaking on every observe, particularly in DRS zones.
Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend schedule (all instances Japanese Time):
Thursday, November twentieth
7:25pm – 8:30pm – Free Apply 1, ESPNEWS
10:55pm – 12am – Free Apply 2, ESPN2
Friday, November twenty first
7:25pm – 8:30pm – Free Apply 3, ESPNEWS
10:55pm – 12am – Qualifying, ESPN2
November twenty second (Saturday)
10:55pm – 1am – Las Vegas Grand Prix (50 laps or 120 minutes), ESPN
