Firestone's New Tire Strategy Makes IndyCar Racing More Exciting at St. Petersburg
Firestone's revamped alternate tires have created the significant performance gap IndyCar officials were seeking, with drivers reporting immediate and dramatic effects during Friday practice at St. Petersburg.
IndyCar racing in St. Petersburg
The new green-banded alternate tires, featuring renewable guayule rubber, showed remarkable initial grip but rapid performance degradation. Practice leader Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Autosport described the alternates as having instant grip comparable to pre-heated tires, noting they activate much faster than previous versions.
Six-time champion Scott Dixon observed that while both tire compounds achieve optimal temperature quickly, the alternate tires deliver their best performance on the first lap before experiencing significant degradation. This characteristic is expected to force teams into three-stop strategies during Sunday's race, as the tires won't last long enough for traditional two-stop approaches.
The primary (black-banded) tires also showed considerable wear during practice sessions, suggesting tire management will be crucial for race success. The marked performance difference between compounds and their rapid degradation should create diverse strategy options and more overtaking opportunities during the race.
The enhanced performance gap between tire compounds directly addresses IndyCar's request to Firestone for greater strategic variety in racing, with early indicators suggesting the goal has been achieved.