F1, the new qualifying format makes its debut at Imola

Hard tires in Q1, medium in Q2 and soft in Q3. Pirelli formalized the new qualifying format which will be tested for the first time in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, scheduled in Imola on the weekend of May 21st. The drivers will have only one tire compound available in each of the three qualifying sessions, moving from the hards in Q1, to the mediums in Q2 and finally to the softs in Q3. Is called Alternative tire allocationsliterally “alternative assignment of tyres”, and will also be tested in another stage of the world championship F1yet to be made official.

F1 qualifying, with the new format, more entertainment and less environmental impact

The new format allows teams to save two sets of tyres, going from 13 to 11. Of these, 6 will be used in qualifying and 5 between free practice and the race. A sustainable choice, for one F1 increasingly attentive to the environment. Since 2019 the circus has joined the program Net-Zero carbonwhich aims at zero emissions by 2030. An ambitious but concrete goal. Liberty Mediathe American company that in 2016 bought the F1would like to introduce 100% sustainable fuel from 2026 and is already working to limit the use of plastic and pollution due to the continuous travel that the F1 imposes. A step forward was already made last year, when E10 fuel was introduced, containing only 10% ethanol.

More sustainable, but also more spectacular. The biggest challenge is overcoming the cut of the Q1 with the harder compound, the hard, the most difficult to get up to temperature. A joker that should make qualifying more lively, in a championship with increasingly defined hierarchies at the top, with Red Bull first uncontested force and to follow Aston Martin, Mercedes And Ferrari.

Formula One, what are the compounds and how do they differ

From 2019 the compounds of F1 they come in three different colors: white for the hard ones, yellow for the medium ones and red for the soft ones. Important innovations were introduced last season: after more than 50 years the tires have become larger, going from 13 to 18 inches. The larger dimensions have resulted in more grip and faster direction changes, facilitating overtaking in the race and reducing degradation. Also from 2022, the rule requiring the first ten riders on the grid to start the GP with the compound used for the fastest lap of Q2 has been eliminated.

Gum tough, in white, is the most resistant and long-lasting, but also the least performing. There softon the contrary, it guarantees high performance in the face of greater wear. In the middle we find the average, a compromise between strength and speed. The optimal choice varies according to the type of circuit and the weather conditions. The hard is well suited to tracks that stress the tires more, such as Silverstone And Suzuki. The soft, on the other hand, is designed for slower circuits with a low level of wear, such as Montecarlo And Singapore.