Brown, Jon Brow
11th April 2011, 13:08
Obviously I know they use the Free Practice sessions to work on the car set-up, new upgrades, get up to speed with the track and measure tyre wear, but how do they get the best out of the sessions with the limitations we have with new engines and tyre restrictions?
I've observed that drivers seem to have a set structure for practice.
FP1 - All the drivers do an installation lap then sit in the pits for ages. They then seem to do a couple of 6 lap runs on the same set of prime tyres.
FP2 - A low fuel run on options followed by a high fuel run on the same set of options. Presumably measuring likely tyre wear at the start of the race.
FP3 - A few short runs to fine tune the set-up for qualifying.
How many tyres are they likely to get through in the 3 practice sessions? How much will drivers change the set-up duting the sessions? Will the arrive at the circuit knowing more-or-less what the set-up will be?
I've observed that drivers seem to have a set structure for practice.
FP1 - All the drivers do an installation lap then sit in the pits for ages. They then seem to do a couple of 6 lap runs on the same set of prime tyres.
FP2 - A low fuel run on options followed by a high fuel run on the same set of options. Presumably measuring likely tyre wear at the start of the race.
FP3 - A few short runs to fine tune the set-up for qualifying.
How many tyres are they likely to get through in the 3 practice sessions? How much will drivers change the set-up duting the sessions? Will the arrive at the circuit knowing more-or-less what the set-up will be?