Pirelli don’t believe we’ll see a repeat of previous Spanish Grands Prix which have often seen four-stops due to the abrasive nature of the Barcelona circuit.
The supplier’s motorsport director, Paul Hembery, is confident three or less stops will be the average for this weekend’s race thanks to the change in structure for 2014.
“The Spanish circuit is one of the most demanding circuits we race on all year,” explained Hembery. “Long and fast corners such as Turn Three put a huge amount of energy into the tyres, as a result of which degradation is high.
“The track surface is also quite abrasive, and ambient temperatures can be high, which increase the workload on the tyres further.
“In the past we’ve seen up to four pit stops in Spain. With the changes we have made to the tyres this year, we would now hope to see no more than three for the majority of drivers.”
The second in-season test will take place following the Spanish GP and Hembery is hopeful of making further progress with next year’s tyres.
“We made a solid start to our preparations for next year with the first dedicated in-season tyre tests in Bahrain. We’re looking forward to building on that work with four teams in Spain after the grand prix.”
