Pirelli Is Working to Give F1 New Tires for 2021

As well as shifting to 18 inches, Pirelli has also been asked to make longer-lasting tires. Under the previous regulations, it made compounds that degraded quickly, the hope being that big swings in tire performance would improve the on-track spectacle.

Another concern about Pirelli’s current tires is their sensitivity to heat. Drivers must manage them very carefully, for example by adjusting speed, to ensure that they are not too hot or too cold, keeping them within a temperature window to improve grip.

Formula One has worked with Pirelli to solve these issues in the new tires, giving targets for tire performance.

“We are trying to give them more clarity on what Formula One really needs, and I think they have been responding quite well,” said Ross Brawn, the managing director of motorsports for Formula One.

Isola has appreciated having a clear target to aim for with tire development instead of an array of input from drivers, teams and fans, all of whom have different wishes.

“All the stakeholders are asking for something different, because they have a different view on the sport and different requests,” he said.

“Now we have a ‘target letter’ where the targets or the expected targets of the product are identified and described,” he said. “It’s easier to explain to everybody that we have to follow some rules.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/06/sports/autoracing/pirelli-formula-one-new-tires.html?emc=rss&partner=rss