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Nurburgring, round nine of the championship. Pirelli will bring the medium and soft tyres.
The German circuit is one of the most technical tracks of the year, with a wide range of corners.
There are many direction changes. This puts a lot of lateral energy through the tyres.
Other forces are at work too. These include braking forces and impacts with kerbs: one
of the typical characteristics of this track.
The Nurburgring is located in an area where it rains a lot. This means that the track
is frequently �green�, especially during free practice on Friday. As the weekend goes
on, the track gets more rubber put onto it.
The roughness of the asphalt and low temperatures lead to abrasion of the tyre against the surface.
Parts of the rubber then stick to the track between the stones of the asphalt. This is
known as the circuit �rubbering in�.
Other parts of the tyre instead form small strips of rubber when they come off. These
are known as �marbles�. They weigh just a few grams, and tend to accumulate on the
outside of corners, or off the racing line in braking areas.
Tyres that wear quicker deposit more rubber on the surface, both in terms of marbles and
the track rubbering in.
The more rubber on the surface, the more grip. This allows faster lap times, but also limits
wear and degradation on the tyres.
This is why the data captured during free practice on Friday often has to be revised
and updated as the weekend goes on. The latest data allows a more accurate prediction of
race performance.