Berra: The level of degradation is somewhat higher than expected.

      Pirelli tire specialists summarized the results of Friday's practice sessions at the Spa circuit, noting that they were somewhat affected by the Belgian weather...

      Simone Berra, chief engineer at Pirelli: "Due to the rain that fell overnight and intermittently during the day, the level of grip significantly decreased, which resulted in track performances being worse than expected, both for us and for the teams. However, if there are no more showers, the track will gradually be covered with a layer of used rubber, and grip will return to previous levels.

      Despite the fact that the work on the track during the second session was interrupted by red flags, the teams should have gathered enough information to prepare adequately for the main events of the weekend.

      On the softer tire compounds, the level of degradation is somewhat higher than expected, affecting both axles: the front due to the abrasive asphalt, while the rear tires are subject to thermal effects. But in the remaining days of the weekend, temperatures will be lower, and the track condition will improve, so we do not expect a repeat of this effect.

      The speed difference between the Medium and Soft tire compounds is approximately in line with calculations – it is about 0.4-0.5 seconds. In the first practice session, only a few teams worked with the hard tires, while most preferred to save two sets of Hard. It is curious what reasons this is based on, considering that a single pit stop strategy is quite likely on Sunday.

      However, an additional set of tires could become a valuable asset in case of a race neutralization, if by that time one pit stop has already been made."