We are back this week, but no longer in Europe, as we have headed to Miami for the first ever Miami Grand Prix which is round number 5 of the 2022 season!
Pirelli have chosen the middle of the range, C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium) and C4 (Soft), this combination is the most commonly used throughout the year as its the most versatile.
The 5.41 kilometre Miami International Autodrome is set in the Hard Rock Stadium Complex in Miami Gardens with 19 corners, three straights, elevation changes and a chicane. Top speeds are expected to be in the region of 320kph with an average of around 22kph and drivers on full throttle for around 58% of the lap.
The Miami track will be the 11th venue to host a grand prix in the USA, with it being brand new to everyone, Pirelli has had to rely on simulation data to come up with the tyre nominations.
The brand new asphalt is likely to lead to a high degree of track evolution, especially at the start of the weekend, with the Porsche Challenge and W series as support events.
The weather could be unpredictable aswell, with ambient temperatures of around 20 degrees and quite a high risk of rain and wind on the Florida coast at this time of year.
There’s been a huge buzz of excitement around the first Miami Grand Prix, where the track has some similarities to Jeddah, although there are some parts that are slower and more technical than Saudi Arabia: especially the section from Turns 11 to 16. The rest is a very quick layout, running anti-clockwise, which puts the emphasis on the tyres on the right hand side of the car. We’re expecting the usual rapid track evolution and a smooth surface with the new asphalt, but the track has been jet-washed at high pressure, which means that it should offer quite good grip from the beginning. Because it’s a fast track the cars are likely to run a low to medium downforce set-up, which could lead to a bit of sliding in the high-speed corners on the hard compounds in particular. For any new track our choice tends to be on the conservative side, so it will be interest to confront the simulations with real data.
Mario Isla, Head of Pirelli Motorsport.
Jordan's Track Talk 
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