However, despite its new improved-grip compound, the intermediate tire will still not take away the challenge of competing on the technical track in Monaco.
“The new intermediate tire gives more grip through having a softer compound than the old one, but driving the latest specification F1 cars in the wet will always be a challenge, no matter what tires are used. The latest cars have less downforce so less aerodynamic grip than before, and this is true in wet or dry conditions,” said Hamashima.
Also, the Japanese official stressed the difficulty in rubber build-in on the streets of Monaco, as Friday will not see any action from the F1 drivers on the track. With road cars invading the streets (where the race is to take place) on Friday, the loss of grip on Saturday could pose a problem for all the drivers.
“Finding grip will be the main challenge on the streets of Monte Carlo. This is a very interesting circuit, and one where the track is made of many different types of surface as well as there being public road markings on the track. Also notable is that F1 does not run on Friday, so the track conditions can change quite a lot between Thursday and Saturday.”
“When there is no racing taking place, public vehicles and also people use the track. This makes it difficult for rubber to build up and the surface can become dirty again, which does not help the track surface develop well for racing,” added Hamashima.
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