Pirelli has detailed the constraints that its tyres will face this weekend at the Red Bull Ring, where there will be "no reprieve" for the F1 supplier's compounds.
The teams will have the C3, C4 and C5 tyres at their disposal in Austria, the three softest compounds in Pirelli's range and the same selection as last time out in Canada.
However, the Spielberg weekend will feature a Sprint event on Saturday afternoon, with qualifying for the 30-minute race taking place on Saturday morning. Qualifying to decide the starting grid for Sunday's Grand Prix is scheduled for Friday afternoon, after a single free practice session in the morning.
The Red Bull Ring has only 10 corners, and the shortest lap time of any track on the championship, with drivers completing the 4.318 km circuit in approximately 65 seconds on average.
Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola gives the lowdown on how the rubber will meet the road at the Red Bull Ring this weekend.
"The Red Bull Ring is a circuit where tyres get no rest," says Isola. "The cars race through the track's 10 corners in a lap time of just over a minute, and the few straights mean that there is little reprieve for the tyres.
"The asphalt has a fairly high micro and macro roughness, due to the age of the surface, while grip is high at the start of the lap.
"Traction and braking are key elements, while particular attention will have to be paid to managing tyre overheating.
"Drivers who manage not to cool their tyres properly may find it difficult to defend against attacks from rivals, especially in the first and last sectors.
"An important factor in this will be ambient temperature, with weather conditions traditionally somewhat variable.
"Last year's race was largely a two-stopper using the medium and hard compounds, but a one-stopper could also be an option this year if degradation is not too high."
Once again, weather may throw a wrench into the works, with current forecasts predicting rain from Friday through Sunday in the region of the Styrian hills.
If you're heading to Spielberg this weekend, don't forget your wellies!
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