Q&A: Pascal Vasselon (Michelin).

Michelin's F1 project manager, Pascal Vasselon, talks about the Italian Grand Prix, tyre wear at Monza, pit stops, and more...

Q:
Pascal, what special demands does Monza place on tyres?

Pascal Vasselon:
At Monza teams tend to compromise cornering ability in order to generate higher speeds down the long straights. We have to bear this in mind when choosing tyres because we need our rubber to compensate a little for the lack of aerodynamic downforce - especially through ultra-quick corners such as the two Lesmos and the Parabolica, as well as the tight chicanes.

Q:
How have you determine which is the correct tyre compound for this weekend?

PV:
Our dry-weather tyre options have been selected on the basis of results at the recent Monza tests. There will be three different types available.

Q:
What compounds have Michelin elected to take?

PV:
The track layout at Monza generates high temperatures so we have to focus on minimising the risk of blistering. The tighter sections of the track don't place a great deal of strain on the rubber and would allow us to run a soft compound, but the loads imposed by the long, high-speed straights persuade us to select tyres from the medium part of our range.

Q:
What about pit stop strategy?

PV:
Last season a one-stop strategy was most effective here, but I think teams are more likely to pit twice this time. A stop costs less than 30 seconds and the fuel penalty is about 0.3 seconds per lap for every extra 10 kilos.