Daniel Ricciardo: Tyre temps could 'throw spanner in the works' at F1 Eifel GP

Daniel Ricciardo believes the cool temperatures at this weekend’s Eifel Grand Prix at the Nurburgring could play havoc with how the tyres work during Sunday’s Formula 1 race.

Friday practice produced no running with both sessions being cancelled due to heavy fog which meant the medical helicopter couldn’t fly.

With the forecast for the rest of the weekend expected to be between nine and 11 degrees celsius, Ricciardo suspects it will be tricky for teams to get the tyres to work even if it is dry.

“Even in the dry with such low track temperatures, even to get the slick tyres going, it’s going to be a challenge in itself,” Ricciardo said. “I don’t think it’s going to be a straightforward weekend and I think there will be certain challenges. But that’s fine. 

“You have a number of races throughout the year and you hope for varying conditions. This could be the coldest track I’ve driven on in some time, probably colder than in winter testing.

“Obviously, there are other variables you are trying to deal with but I think that will be the big kind of spanner in the works this weekend. If there’s a Safety Car, once the tyres drop below a given temperature, it gets more and more slippery and the only way to get them going again is to go faster and faster, yet you’re losing grip because you’re going slower. So it’s a spiral effect.

“To get them going you are taking more risks, and you are taking more risks when the grip is low, so that’s a challenge. We’re all going to be in the same boat in that situation so whoever holds it together the most I guess.”

Wet races tend to lead to unpredictability and more opportunities for the midfield teams, leaving Ricciardo hopeful it’s Renault’s time to finish on the podium after seeing all of its main midfield competitors do so at some point in 2020.

“It does,” Ricciardo added. “When was the last boring wet race, or weekend like this? It does certainly throw some variety and some opportunities.

“I think for us, in that midfield battle, these are the weekends where you really can have a chance and have your moment.”