raymondu999 wrote:I think we can rule out the teams frying the tyres in practice - I think teams focus their schedules around the tyres that are returned after Friday, so that they can enjoy the full benefits of 3 fresh sets of each compound into qualifying.
Agreed, the likely time they're frying them is in qualifying. As we know, the tyres do not like being overheated, I would bet heavily the "dud tyres" they get in the race occasionally are ones that having been used, as stated above, for 2 or more flying laps in qualifying, and as a result have gone over the critical threshold where their makeup changes.
I think this is why early in the season we saw people who saved tyres in qualifying doing so well, and I think it's why we saw a much higher rate of dud tyres at the start of the season – because the teams have figured out now that if they really use the tyres in qualifying, they won't be any good in the race.