Pirelli announces major tire updates for 2022 F1 Singapore and Japanese GP

Pirelli has announced the tire allocation for the 2022 F1 Singapore and the Japanese GP. The allocation for the F1 Japanese GP does not come as a surprise as the Italian manufacturer has gone forward with the hardest tire configurations for Suzuka. The tire allocation for the Marina Bay event, however, does raise a few eyebrows.

For the race in Singapore, Pirelli has gone ahead with the softest configuration of its tires for the weekend. Now, for a street circuit like the one in Singapore, it appears to be a curious choice for Pirelli to bring the softest configuration. The Italian company did the same thing for Monaco as well.

There is, however, one added factor that could throw a spanner in the works for not only the tire manufacturer but the teams as well. Singapore is not your average street circuit. It's hot, it's humid and it is physically exhausting for the drivers. To add to that, the track can be hard on the tires as well.

The circuit is not as narrow as many would think and unlike Monaco, where it is nigh impossible to pull off an overtake, it's much more feasible here. With Pirelli erring on the side of aggression as compared to a conservative approach, we could see teams being forced to even opt for a two-stopper in the race. Something similar happened in the 2014 F1 season when a late switch to a two-stopper helped multiple drivers like Sergio Perez, Jean-Eric Vergne, and Kevin Magnussen make their way through the field.

With Pirelli turning to its softest configuration, we might also be looking at something similar panning out in the latest edition of the Singapore GP.

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Winning all of the remaining F1 races is going to be tough: Christian Horner

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was asked whether he thought that his team could end up winning all of the remaining six races. Even though Max Verstappen would be on a six-race win streak, Horner was not too confident of that happening as he felt Singapore could be a challenge for the team.

He said:

“That’s a massive ask and [there is] some huge variance of circuits. “Singapore compared to Monza, it’s got the most corners on the calendar. It’s bumpy, it’s a street track, so it’s a much different challenge. We’re in a great position in the championship. But we’re going to attack every race and do the best we can, then the points will take care of themselves. But you know, we’ve been quick at Spa, Zandvoort, Monza, and Budapest even.”

F1 returns to Singapore after a two-year hiatus and the spectacle it presents this time will be interesting to see.