Quote:
Originally Posted by Tourer
I think that the "start on the same tyre you qualify on" approach came in prior to the current parc ferme rules (but happy to be corrected if I'm mis-remembering). With the parc ferme rules now in play, there's probably less of a need to start on the same tyres IMHO.
|
From the start of the Pirelli supply, the initial years were based on teams returning sets of tyres after sessions were completed. This was also the first time that teams had to start the race on used tyres. The top ten qualifiers had to use the tyres from Q3 that they had set their fastest lap on.
The next few seasons saw every top ten qualifier typically start on the softest compound - race to 1/4 distance then stick on the harder compound.
This was modified in 2014 to make Q3 drivers use their fastest set from Q2 to start the race. The result of this was that some teams didn't bother running in Q3 because they would be using a set of tyres for no real benefit.
2016 saw the range of compounds at an event increase from two to three.
Pirelli nominated two mandatory sets of tyres for each car during the race, with a third set of the softest compound, that teams had to use in Q3. Teams had free choice over use of the other ten sets available to them, but had to return sets at certain points:
- One set after the first 40 minutes of FP1
- One set at the end of FP1
- Two sets at the end of FP2
- Two sets at the end of FP3
The two mandatory sets nominated by Pirelli cannot be given back during practice and must be available for use in the race. At least one of these two sets must be used during the race - but the teams can decide which one.
Drivers who did not make it to Q3 were able to use the super-softs that had been allocated for Q3 during the race.