The 2024 Formula 1 season is heading into its final phase, with a last triple header that will see the cars race in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, where the two titles will be awarded. Right after the season ends, however, teams will stay at Yas Marina for a test session to become more familiar with the tires developed by Pirelli for 2025.
In fact, although 2025 is still a few months away, the Italian company has already been working on the new season for quite some time, also because the FIA sets specific dates for tire homologation for the following championship. The new construction has already been homologated as per regulations, while on the compound front, Pirelli has a few more weeks, though the tire supplier has roughly already outlined the characteristics of the tires for the next season.
In this regard, the test conducted in Mexico during the second free practice session was essential, as it allowed the collection of further data on changes made to the softer compounds of the range on a more suitable track. In fact, before going to Mexico City, Pirelli had also conducted a private test at Mugello, partly affected by rain, but a track suitable for testing the harder tires.
In fact, the high-speed curves of the Tuscan circuit were not ideal for collecting useful data on the soft compounds, so it was decided to carry out a collective test during FP2 in Mexico, also giving some teams the opportunity to try the new C6. “We conducted the test. It was positive. We gathered a lot of data. Now we have defined the new C4, C5, and C6 for next year,” explained Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director.
Once the test was concluded, Pirelli actually had very little time to analyze the data and finalize the last details, as it needs to allow its facilities to physically produce the tires to be shipped to Abu Dhabi, a process that still takes a few weeks. The design work was nevertheless completed ahead of the FIA’s December homologation deadline.
“The agreement is that in Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday, during the post-season test, we will supply 2025 tires to the drivers who will participate in the tire tests, while we will give 2024 tires to rookies, but at least they will have the opportunity to test the new construction. The new construction does not bring any difference in terms of balance. We had no feedback on any difference or any other issue with the new construction. This is exactly what we found during our tests throughout the season,” Isola added regarding the renewed 2025 construction, already homologated several weeks ago, adding that the feedback received from teams and drivers in FP2 in Mexico reflects those obtained in private tests as well.
Unchanged deltas, but greater mechanical durability
The positive aspect is that the initial data from the Mexico session provided promising insights into the goals set by the Milan-based company. Pirelli hasn’t focused so much on the purely performance-related aspect of the tire but on mechanical durability to reduce the graining and overheating phenomena that, this year, at times exceeded expected levels: “The positive aspect is that the new compounds have shown greater mechanical durability, which was our goal to reduce graining,” Mario Isola explained. The goal with the new tires was precisely to enhance mechanical durability to increase flexibility against these two issues, and, at least according to the data collected, this target seems to have been achieved.
Pirelli indeed did not want to alter the grip level of the softer compounds, as it believes the performance “deltas” between the tires are now well spaced. The only modification involved the C2, with the aim of bringing it closer in terms of grip to the C3, distancing it further from the C1.
“The grip level of the new tires is similar [to that of this season]. We didn’t want to change the grip level because, if you change the grip level, you change the positioning of the compounds, and the only one where we sought more grip was the C2, to bring it closer to the C3 since it was a bit too close to the C1. As for the C3, C4, and C5, the performance deltas were in line with the goal, around half a second per lap. Of course, it depends on the track length and so on. Furthermore, the C6 should be another half second faster.”
The topic of the C6 remains open because, although it will likely be homologated for 2025, its usage plan has not yet been defined. First, it will be essential to gather more data in the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi: “I would like to wait for the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi. We still lack some data on the C6. It’s important to emphasize that we must homologate the compound if we want to use it, but we are not obligated to. So, I prefer the flexibility of having a C6 in the range, which is mainly for street circuits.”
However, it should be noted that the C6 will not be suitable for all street circuits or places where the C5 can currently be used. For example, in Mexico tests, it was seen that it couldn’t complete the lap, so much so that the C5 was actually faster in the final sector. On some tracks, like Las Vegas or Monaco, it could open up strategic alternatives, with the possibility of skipping a compound.
“Having the flexibility of a C6 could be useful. And we are not obliged to choose, let’s say, three consecutive compounds. So, if we realize, for example, that the C6 could be good on a circuit but close to the C5, we can also decide to nominate C3, C4, and C6, skipping one compound. This allows us a bit more flexibility,” added Isola.
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