Mario Isola: “The new car-tyre package this season should make overtaking easier”

Ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Pirelli have announced that they will be bringing their three hardest compounds of tyre to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship action this weekend at the Zandvoort circuit.

Pirelli’s Motorsport Director Mario Isola has stated that the tyre manufacture has taken the decision to select the three hardest compounds due to the unique challenge that the banking around the Zandvoort circuit provides on the Pirelli tyres.

This will mark just the fourth time this season that Pirelli will bring the hardest compounds of tyres to a Grand Prix this season, with the other occasions coming in Bahrain, Spain and Great Britain.

Credit: Pirelli Motorsport

Isola is hopeful that a combination of the new tyres and car packages will provide further overtaking opportunities in the Netherlands after last season’s Dutch Grand Prix saw just twenty-four overtakes.

“Zandvoort proved to be a spectacular addition to the calendar last year, and the most challenging parts for tyres are the banked Turns 3 and 14, which are taken at high speed and place sustained combined forces on the car: downforce as well as lateral demands.

“Along with the other overall demands of the circuit layout, this is why we have nominated the hardest three compounds in the range for only the fourth time in 2022, after Bahrain, Spain and Great Britain.

“The new car-tyre package this season should make overtaking easier on a track where it was hard to pass last year: the majority of drivers stopped just once to maintain track position, but this time there could be more of a focus on the softer compounds – which might lead to more two-stoppers and drivers pushing even harder.”