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Formula 1
F1: Latest Pirellis Designed For Better Racing
Formula One's sole supplier for tires is Pirelli...
Paul Hembery of Great Britain, Pirelli Motorsport Director. (Photo: Getty Images)
Pirelli has launched a range of 2013 F1 tires which is intended to create more overtaking and ensure wider range of strategies.
The target is to have two pit stops per race, with a 0.5s lap time difference through the range. The new tires are intended to have a faster warm-up also and be faster over a lap by 0.5s compared with last year.
Pirelli was criticized last year for being too conservative at times, especially in the latter half of the season, when degradation was limited in some races, and pit stops infrequent.
“The 2013 season continues the philosophy adopted by Pirelli last year in evolving the original 2011 range of Formula One tires,” said Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery.
“The goal is to continuously set new challenges for the drivers and to ensure that all the teams start the new season on a level playing field when it comes to the tires. Through accumulating more information with each Grand Prix last year, the teams eventually fully understood the tires, after a spectacular start with seven winners from the first seven races.
“The result at the end of the year was races with less competition and sometimes only one pit stop. This phenomenon was also observed in 2011, disappointing many fans and prompting some of the teams to ask us to continue developing our tires further this year, in order to provide a fresh challenge with something different.
“Our 2013 range of tires mixes up the cards once more to help overtaking and ensure two to three pit stops per race.”
The 2013 tires are heavier, and the FIA had raised the car minimum weight limit by 2kgs to compensate. In fact the fronts are 200g apiece heavier, and the rears 700g, compared with last year. They are also asymmetrical – previous they could be used left or right, in either direction. Now they can only be used one way.
Teams were able to test the new construction in Friday practice for the Brazilian GP, but have yet to try the new range of compounds, which are softer across the board and have different working temperature ranges to last year. The hards also have a new color, with orange sidewalls introduced to make them stand out. The sidewalls are softer, but the shoulders are stronger.
Explaining the impact of the changes, Pirelli says that “the effect of this is faster thermal degradation while the tire’s peak performance window is extended. Traction is also improved, which translates into faster lap times, especially on the exit of corners and in combined traction areas, from braking to acceleration and vice versa.”
Pirelli will continue to use a 2010 Renault and drivers Lucas di Grassi and Jaime Alguersuari for its test program. Meanwhile Jean Alesi – who used Pirellis in his stellar 1990 season with Tyrrell – has become a brand ambassador.
The company noted today that while it had not yet agreed terms to continue in to 2014 as sole supplier after its initial contract ends, it hoped to do so.
The target is to have two pit stops per race, with a 0.5s lap time difference through the range. The new tires are intended to have a faster warm-up also and be faster over a lap by 0.5s compared with last year.
Pirelli was criticized last year for being too conservative at times, especially in the latter half of the season, when degradation was limited in some races, and pit stops infrequent.
“The 2013 season continues the philosophy adopted by Pirelli last year in evolving the original 2011 range of Formula One tires,” said Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery.
“The goal is to continuously set new challenges for the drivers and to ensure that all the teams start the new season on a level playing field when it comes to the tires. Through accumulating more information with each Grand Prix last year, the teams eventually fully understood the tires, after a spectacular start with seven winners from the first seven races.
“The result at the end of the year was races with less competition and sometimes only one pit stop. This phenomenon was also observed in 2011, disappointing many fans and prompting some of the teams to ask us to continue developing our tires further this year, in order to provide a fresh challenge with something different.
“Our 2013 range of tires mixes up the cards once more to help overtaking and ensure two to three pit stops per race.”
The 2013 tires are heavier, and the FIA had raised the car minimum weight limit by 2kgs to compensate. In fact the fronts are 200g apiece heavier, and the rears 700g, compared with last year. They are also asymmetrical – previous they could be used left or right, in either direction. Now they can only be used one way.
Teams were able to test the new construction in Friday practice for the Brazilian GP, but have yet to try the new range of compounds, which are softer across the board and have different working temperature ranges to last year. The hards also have a new color, with orange sidewalls introduced to make them stand out. The sidewalls are softer, but the shoulders are stronger.
Explaining the impact of the changes, Pirelli says that “the effect of this is faster thermal degradation while the tire’s peak performance window is extended. Traction is also improved, which translates into faster lap times, especially on the exit of corners and in combined traction areas, from braking to acceleration and vice versa.”
Pirelli will continue to use a 2010 Renault and drivers Lucas di Grassi and Jaime Alguersuari for its test program. Meanwhile Jean Alesi – who used Pirellis in his stellar 1990 season with Tyrrell – has become a brand ambassador.
The company noted today that while it had not yet agreed terms to continue in to 2014 as sole supplier after its initial contract ends, it hoped to do so.
Grand Prix of Bahrain
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