Formula 1 is now back in the States with the second edition of the Las Vegas Grand Prix race, and as ever, the question of what tyres will be selected arises. Pirelli was chosen as the sole tyre supplier by the FIA in 2011 within the scope of the FIA’s cost-cutting policy. And since then, nothing has changed. The choice of the tyre is crucial as it’s the only contact point between the road and the vehicle.

This year, Pirelli announced their compound choices to serve the most effectively on the 6+ km street circuit!

Pirelli’s Tyre Selection for Las Vegas

The official tyre supplier of Formula 1 picked up their softest dry tyre compounds for the race with a 6.201 km track to match nominations for most street circuits. These were as follows:

• The C5, marked Red as the soft tyre, is the fastest rubber but wears out quicker than harder compounds.
• C4, marked Yellow as the medium tyre, serves slower but more durable than the soft but quicker and less durable than the hard tyre.
• C3, marked White as the hard tyre, provides the least grip but remains in working order the longest.

Every Formula 1 racer is provided with two sets of hard tyres, three sets of medium tyres, and eight sets of soft tyres. If necessary, the green intermediate (best for in-between damp track surfaces) and the blue full wets (best for racing in serious rain) are also available.

Challenges of the Las Vegas Circuit for Tyres

The 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix was expected to have tricky conditions for racers. They should be prepared for racing in the cold, desert nights of Sin City. Pirelli announced the main challenge for the drivers: warming up their tyres during qualification and for the front axle.

The racers knew they had to be especially careful not to overwork the tyre to avoid lock-ups at the heaviest braking points and keep their tyres warm enough to provide the necessary speed on the Vegas Strip.

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Tyre Strategy: Two-Stop or One-Stop?

Since the low temperature reduces grip and causes increased graining, tyres wear out quicker. This is the main reason why the two-stop strategy could be a good choice for the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

However, on the other hand, it is logical to start on the hard or medium tyre to gradually bring the tyre to the necessary temperature, thus extending the tyre life over a longer stint. This way, racers could make only one stop. Furthermore, it wouldn’t be particularly effective to pit early because of the difficulty in warming up the tyres. Hence, going longer would definitely be a better choice.

What This Means for Drivers and Teams

Right off the bat, the choice of the race location with tricky conditions made tyre strategies and aerodynamic setups the key to success. The drivers had to demonstrate a perfect balance between aggression and caution so as to avoid early degradation while also enhancing their race pace. So, careful tyre management was the key to performance optimization.

Summing Up: Las Vegas, Tyres, and the Battle Ahead

After four decades, Formula 1 finally returned to the American desert for the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024, offering up-close racing with multiple overtakes and proving that the Vegas accompanying spectacle perfectly suits the F1 circus.

On the other hand, the chosen location was pretty challenging for the drivers, as the experience was commented on as “driving on ice.” They had to showcase their mastery and apply some strategies to keep their tyres warm and workable enough to do longer stints.