P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Are Red Bull and Ferrari on back foot for potential Japanese GP tyre wrecker?
The track conditions at the iconic figure-of-eight track are expected to be more extreme, with high temperatures causing overheating issues and a drop in grip compared to last year. The race is likely to be focused on tire management and strategy, with a two-stop strategy being the preferred approach. However, only eight drivers have two sets of hard tires available, while others have a combination of mediums and softs, which could lead to thermal management challenges in the final stint of the race. McLaren, with their double hard tire allocation, could have an advantage against Red Bull in terms of strategy. McLaren’s team principal acknowledges the advantage of Red Bull’s pace but sees their competition mainly with Ferrari and Mercedes. The tire strategy will be particularly interesting in the battle between Mercedes and Ferrari for second place in the constructors’ championship.
Source: motorsport
