F1 teams and Pirelli were surprised to find a visibly different track surface at the Shanghai circuit, caused by a liquid bitumen treatment applied last year. The treatment impacted grip levels and was not communicated to teams or Pirelli by the FIA. While the grip changes were not extreme, F1 chief engineer Simone Berra emphasized the need for better communication and understanding of track changes in the future. The surface issue will be resolved with a complete resurfacing of the Shanghai circuit in 2025.
F1 drivers are surprised by the track surface at China's Shanghai International Circuit, which appears to have been repainted with a dark "bitumen surface treatment" rather than resurfaced, causing concern about tire grip and track consistency. The material's inconsistent application throughout the track has raised worries about predicting performance, with drivers like Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo expressing uncertainty about how the track's changes will affect tire behavior and racing strategies.
Miami GP managing partner Tom Garfinkel says the decision not to waterblast the Hard Rock Stadium track surface will pay off in the long run as it will age naturally and improve over time. Lack of grip on the surface posed issues for drivers during the race weekend, but race winner Max Verstappen reckoned it was good enough by the race. Garfinkel is contemplating getting more support races on board for 2024 to improve grip. Changes made to the Turn 15/16 chicane also worked well, according to Garfinkel.
The resurfaced track at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for the F1 Miami Grand Prix has been causing issues for drivers due to its unique surface. While Pirelli found that grip levels on the racing line were not so bad, the lack of grip off-line caused drivers to struggle with controlling their cars. The increase in grip caused its own problem because the improvement was only on the racing line. Water blasting circuits brings benefits in terms of grip because it removes the top layer of bitumen, but Miami shied away from full water blasting because of the problems that occurred last year.
