Formula 1 heads back to the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend after a five-year absence, with the venue also playing host to the first Sprint of the 2024 season.
Official F1 tyre supplier Pirelli have selected the C2, C3 and C4 compounds, sitting in the middle of their range, to tackle a 5.451km circuit that comprises a mixture of low-, medium- and high-speed corners.
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With the Sprint format being used, the usual dry tyre allocation will drop from 13 sets to 12 (meaning two C2 hards, four C3 mediums and six C4 softs), while the number of wet-weather sets remains the same (five intermediate and two wet).
Based on simulations and data from previous races, Pirelli have put the circuit in a “medium category” when it comes to lateral and longitudinal forces, with the outside of the tyre – especially on the left-hand side of the car – wearing the most.
In the dry, a two-stop strategy has traditionally been the ideal approach to the Grand Prix, which runs over 56 laps, given the range of overtaking spots and the power of the undercut – but variable weather conditions could play their part.
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For more information about Pirelli’s F1 tyres, visit pirelli.com.
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