Mario Isola, Head of Formula 1 & Car Racing at Pirelli, spoke to Motorsport.com on the sidelines of a GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup event in Imola and analyzed the situation on the first races in the 2022 Formula 1 season.
Here are some of the most important statements made by Mario Isola:
“We are still collecting data because we have discovered how effectively the 2022 F1 cars are different from the mule cars used in the tire development tests. We had seen this from the simulations of the ground-effect single-seaters, because the aerodynamic package was not simulated with the 2021 mule cars. However, we can say that we have found the characteristics of the product we had been looking for even now. On one lap, between one compound and another, it seems that the difference has increased compared to what we had seen in the development tests when we ran on two completely different layouts: Bahrain expresses longitudinal forces, has more traction and braking, while Jeddah gives more lateral stress and has fewer stop and go sections, but more or less we have had confirmation on both tracks. This is also the reason why in Australia we will not be using the C4 compound, because in the tests we noticed that the difference with the C3 was quite small in time, so we’re going to check it out in Melbourne”.
On the ‘different strategies’ goal
“What we have seen, and it is important to underline it, is that the drivers can push. In the three choices of compounds the behaviors were different; our goal is to have a Hard with which we can push to do long stints, an average that has some degradation, but with better performance resulting in a good race tire, and then the Soft which is the most extreme, excellent for qualifying and not too much for the race. If they had different performances, but with zero degradation it would not make sense to bring them to the track. The goal is to push the teams to make different strategies”.
About the battles on the track and on the first indications that emerged from the data collected
“We have seen that overtaking is possible with the new aerodynamic package and the DRS, there have been many: not only at the top but also in the middle of the group. In Jeddah the battle between Alonso, Ocon, Magnussen and Bottas was proof of this: they have been in battle for many laps. This also changes the teams’ approach to strategy, the more difficult it is to overtake and the more there is a tendency to focus on a single stop. What are the first indications from the data collected? The balance is positive, we are also getting an idea of what the products will have to be for 2023. The single-seaters are very different from each other than in the past, the construction philosophies are different and the balances on the field have changed. It becomes important to collect data from everyone to understand how to move in view of next season. We already have some ideas, we will have the first development test in Imola after the race on April 24. We will also collect information in Melbourne and from there we will try to evaluate what to do in the future. Let’s say we started well, the goal was to have closer and more competitive races, with cars that can stay close and stick together. I was very amazed. In Bahrain, a track not very ‘friendly’ to the new aerodynamic concept with low-speed corners where the cars have less load, there were times only 1 “5 slower than last year. In Jeddah they lapped very close to the 2021 times, although with cars still ‘immature’. We started by saying that perhaps at the end of the year the F1 2022 would have been as strong as the 2021, but I would like to say that they will probably reach that point sooner “.
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On the FIA
“The dialogue with the FIA is continuous, in F1 a document called the ‘Target letter’ has been written which identifies very precise parameters in tire development. Since it is impossible to please everyone, because the needs of promoter, drivers and teams are different, it was decided to write a 3-4 page document defining the objectives. It was signed by the FIA, FOM, teams and drivers, in order to have everyone at the table “.
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