With drivers forced to use the hard (Q1), medium (Q2) and soft (Q3) compounds in the three sessions on Saturday, rather than having complete free choice, it could serve to shake things up in terms of the fight for grid positions.
However, perhaps the biggest impact of the way the new tyre experiment works may be felt on Sunday, as it could produce an interesting case study about one way of making the racing more exciting in F1.
In a season where the spectacle has suffered from predictable one-stop strategies, the trial could actually help open the door for two-stops to be back on the table in the future.
The reasons for the racing not being as good this year as it has been in the past are wide and varied, and no single factor has caused it.
Increased outwash of the cars and higher downforce being generated, shorter DRS zones limiting overtaking opportunities plus the preference for one-stop races have all whipped up a perfect storm in a season where one team is totally dominant.
With car designs now set for the season, the only variability throughout the campaign that could shake things up from now on are Pirelli’s tyre compound choices. Softer rubber means a higher chance of multi-stop races.
However, Pirelli also has to be careful in not pushing things too extreme and turning grands prix into three or four-stop races, which equally can be unpopular as they end up being chaotic affairs that are hard for fans to follow.
Source: Autosport