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Malaysia, the second race on the calendar. Pirelli will make the same nominations seen
last year for this circuit: P Zero hard (which this year has orange markings) and P Zero
medium (already seen in action at the Australian Grand Prix). The P Zero Orange is the hardest
and most conservative compound in Pirelli’s range, ideal for a race that places exceptional
demands on the tyres. The quite abrasive asphalt accentuates both wear and thermal degradation,
because of the high amounts of energy going through the tyre.
On top of this, weather conditions are extremely variable, with high temperatures and the possibility
of torrential rain. Even when it is not raining, humidity exceeds 80%. The new hard compound
is softer than the one used in 2012, which means that it can be loosely compared in performance
terms to the medium tyre from last year. However, the optimal working range has changed completely,
to become much higher, similar to the soft tyre.
The new 2013 hard tyre is expected to be between four and five tenths of a second quicker per
lap than its 2012 predecessor.
The P Zero White medium tyre will also be available in Malaysia. It was designed to
be offered mainly as a Prime option, but in Malaysia it provides the perfect softer and
more aggressive choice. The tyres are worked particularly hard in Sepang, as they have
to deliver excellent performance in temperatures that can peak at more than 130 degrees centigrade
on the internal part of the tread pattern, thanks to lateral acceleration that can reach
3.9g.
Another crucial element comes with the high temperatures. During the hottest part of the
day asphalt temperatures can exceed 50 degrees centigrade making it harder to dissipate the
heat that builds up on the inside of the tyre, leading to a risk of overheating. The high
track temperatures, coupled with quite an abrasive surface, can cause significant levels
of degradation that will exceed those seen in Australia. Last year, there were three
pit stops per car on average.
As for this year, we’ll just have to see.