Heimgartner: Tyre deg will impact strategy

Andre Heimgartner believes increased tyre degradation will spice up racing at Hidden Valley.

New tyre regulations have been enforced ahead of this weekend’s Merlin Darwin Triple Crown.

Mandated minimum tyre pressure has risen to 20psi from last year’s minimum of 17psi.

It comes alongside the introduction of Dunlop’s new Super Soft compound, which is even softer than the 2021 version.

"I think you’ve got different stages of obviously the drop-off,” said Heimgartner, who was second in final practice.

"I think it’s going to go into the worst stage a lot quicker.

"So at the end of the race there’s going to be a lot of sliding around, people running wide, maybe a bit more action.

"We’ll have to wait and see."

Heimgartner believes the increase in pressures was a "bit extreme”, but added it was in line with expected extreme results.

"No one really knows what’s going to happen,” he said.

"We’ve seen some long runs and the tyre deg is fairly significant so it’s going to impact the strategy.

"It might even make the race more boring because you can only pit in a certain window to make the whole race without absolutely blowing your tyres up.

“We’ll have to wait and see."

Heimgartner doesn't, however, believe it will be a tyre conservation race with drivers trying to nurse rubber to the end.

Instead he thinks the deg will be inevitable and could feasibly provide some action late in the race.

"I think you’ve got different stages of obviously the drop-off,” said Heimgartner, who was second in final practice.

"I think it’s going to go into the worst stage a lot quicker.

"So at the end of the race there’s going to be a lot of sliding around, people running wide, maybe a bit more action.

"We’ll have to wait and see.”

ARMOR ALL Qualifying for Race 16 commences at 11:45 local time.

Purchase your Merlin Darwin Triple Crown tickets now.