RW 15 – Tyre Selection

Formula 1 is back in action at a track that presents one of the most complicated challenges of the season.
The Dutch Grand Prix takes place at the classic Zandvoort circuit, nestled in the dunes on the North Sea coast.

Banked corners are not that common in Formula 1 and therefore present an unusual challenge for both car and driver. It has an effect on the tyres, because the higher speeds of the banked turns compared to the normal ones subjects them to even greater forces.

That explains why the dry weather compounds chosen for Zandvoort are the three hardest in the 2024 race: C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium), C3 (Soft).

On paper, thermal degradation is a very significant factor, but it will depend on the weather in late August. The Netherlands borders Belgium and we saw before the break how climatic conditions at these latitudes can change from one day to the next and even within the space of a day.

Conditions changed so much during last year’s race that all five types of available tyre were used. The most popular slick was the Soft, chosen for the start by 19 of 20 drivers, with Hamilton being the only driver to opt for the Mediums.

In stable dry conditions, pre-event simulations point to a one-stop as the quickest strategy, especially in theory, overtaking is a rare event, because the track is very narrow and there are few straights.