Pirelli – Formula 1’s sole manufacturer – expects teams to suffer from graining this weekend at the Miami Grand Prix, round six of the 2024 world championship.
In Miami, given the fact that the asphalt is almost new (it was redone before the 2023 edition) and that the track is not used the rest of the year, the teams must expect an evolution track conditions during the weekend, which means that grip will be very low on Friday during the only free practice session which precedes Sprint qualifying.
In this context, Pirelli therefore logically expects the graining phenomenon to appear on tires in Miami, particularly on Medium and Soft compounds.
“The asphalt, after the resurfacing that preceded the last edition, is very smooth and, naturally, offers a rather low level of grip, also because the circuit is not used in other motorsport events. » explains Pirelli before the Miami GP.
“The evolution of track conditions will therefore be very marked. Graining could appear, particularly on Medium and Soft tires. »
From a strategic point of view, the Miami Grand Prix is a classic race with usually only one stop, with the Hard and Medium tires as protagonists. Last year, Max Verstappen, who only started ninth on the grid, started the race on Hards and then switched to Mediums while the other two drivers on the podium, Perez and Alonso, chose the option reverse (Medium/Hard).
We should also not forget the fact that the Miami Grand Prix hosts the second Sprint race of the year, which will force the teams to look for the best solution in terms of settings during the only free practice session on Friday. . It is during this single test session that the teams will also have to evaluate the behavior of the tires.
Pirelli Miami GP data
