The Formula 1 Grand Prix de France takes place this weekend on the Paul-Ricard circuit in Le Castellet, in the Var.
The three days of the weekend took place in very hot weather, more than 30 degrees in the air, and not far from double on the track, while the Var department was placed on orange alert heatwave alert.
Extreme heat which has consequences on the cars, and in particular the tyres, but also on the drivers.
From our special correspondent on the Paul-Ricard circuit, at Le Castellet,
The Formula 1 paddocks in scorching heat.
The French Grand Prix takes place this weekend on the Paul-Ricard circuit, in Le Castellet, in the Var, in blazing heat while the department is placed on heat wave orange alert for these three days of racing.
Up to 34 degrees in the air, and not far from double on the track, the organizers could not have been more apt in nicknaming the race, the "Summer Race", after this date change at the end of July , against the end of June usually.
A "necessarily special weekend" for Frédéric Vasseur, the boss of Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen, who was seen having a water fight with his two drivers, Valtteri Bottas, and Zhou Guanyu, late Thursday afternoon.
For him, the impact is mainly on the single-seaters.
“We had track temperatures that are in the record range, with Bahrain.
It's really a challenge in terms of tire degradation, and everyone is preparing for the race based on that.
No one used the hard tires to save them for Sunday.
The other topic is cooling in general.
We are almost all at the maximum of what we can do in terms of cooling and then we will manage in the race, ”confides the team director.
The heat record is 36 degrees in the air and 61 on the track
On the side of Pirelli, the tire supplier, no more control than usual on the tires, but the temperature, “a popular subject this weekend”, could modify the physiognomy of the race.
Although we are not on the heat record, held during the second test session in Malaysia in 2016, which reached temperatures of 36 degrees in the air and 61 on the track, against 34 degrees in the air and 56 degrees on the track on Friday at the Paul-Ricard circuit.
“We also have to look at the particularity of the circuit because the Paul-Ricard has a third sector with very fast corners which put a lot of energy on the tyres.
So there is the heat associated with this energy, plus the heat of the air and the track.
It increases the stress on the tyres, so we expect more degradation,”
A greater deterioration than normal which will inevitably influence Saturday's qualifying session.
“It will be mainly on the softs, but we are trying to see if there can be an improvement in grip after a cooling lap, I think it is possible.
It could be important for qualifying in which the teams use soft tyres”, recalls the director of Pirelli Motorsport.
"Drinking hot water is really not cool"
And Sunday for the race, expect to see "more strategy than usual" on this circuit of Castellet, not well known for its overtaking on the track.
With the probability of seeing the teams make an additional save.
“With more degradation, teams may be tempted to make two stops, whereas normally here the fastest strategy is a single pit stop with mediums and then hard ones.
Especially since this year with the new cars and the new tyres, it's easier to overtake during pit stops.
The undercut can be powerful,” says Mario Isola.
As for the drivers, even if they are “used to it”, according to Frédéric Vasseur, the heat will also affect their races, as Zhou Guanyu explains, a bit worried: “You really have to stay hydrated.
I'm not used to using the drink system inside the car, the only races where I used it were in Miami and Bahrain.
But I'm pretty sure I'll put it on for this weekend.
But when you drink hot water, it's really not cool during a race.
I think this weekend is going to be difficult, not just for the drivers, but also for the mechanics in the garages, because it's not that often that we have such high temperatures.
What to engage in a new water battle a few minutes from taking the wheel?
“No, a very fresh Ricard”,
This Friday, the granitas and other refreshing mints were more legion than the “chilled Ricard” in the hands of the mechanics, between two test sessions.
In the garages, on the other hand, the powerful air conditioners and other fans were enthroned in order to refresh the mechanics, their hands busy under the single-seaters.
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Regarding the track, there is little chance of seeing trucks throwing water to cool the track as we have seen recently on the Tour de France.
“The Paul-Ricard track is used to this kind of heat, so no watering is planned.
The impact will be more on the tires”, warns André Rey, sports director of the circuit.
The tires will undoubtedly be the first victims of this heat wave.
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