Degradation War: How Mercedes’ Suspension Saved Antonelli’s Tires in Shanghai

Close-up of a Formula 1 tire showing wear patterns on the rubber surface after a long stint in Shanghai.
Mercedes managed tire surface temperatures 8°C lower than Ferrari, extending their stint life. (Photo: Pirelli/Media)

 While top speed was the headline, the real battle in China was fought in the rubber. Post-race data from Pirelli confirms that Ferrari’s SF-26 suffered from "thermal degradation" on the front-left tire, forcing Leclerc and Hamilton into a conservative engine mapping halfway through the stint.

At Grid News F1, we’ve pinpointed why Mercedes had the edge. The W17’s anti-dive suspension geometry kept the car’s platform stable under heavy braking into Turn 1 and Turn 14. This prevented the "sliding" that cooked the Ferrari tires. By keeping the surface temperatures 8°C lower than their rivals, Kimi Antonelli was able to push for 3 extra laps before his final stop, securing the overcut that sealed the 1-2 finish. Engineering at its finest.

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