Pirelli Head of Motorsport Mario Isola is positive about the all-new Pirelli 18-inch Formula 1 tyres based on the impressions from the first pre-season testing session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, where the Formula 1 teams completed more than 3,000 laps. The new wheel size is one of the most important rule changes introduced this campaign alongside the new aero design for the 2022 Formula 1 challengers. The testing session in Barcelona represented the first opportunity for teams to run the new 18-inch tyres given the fact that last years they were allowed to use only mule cars which could not completely replicate the feeling and behivour of the 2022 cars.
The series is now ready for the next pre-season testing session, which starts on Thursday at the Bahrain International circuit. Pirelli’s Head of F1 and Car Racing Mario Isola explained: “First of all, I have to say I am quite happy because the first target was to confirm what we found during our tyre development test last year and the [Abu Dhabi] post-season test. Last year we were using new cars, so we had some question marks like the aero package, that is not the same, like the wheel cover, the heat transfer from the brake and the rim so it was important to have a first feeling of that. It was quite positive; comments were in line with what we found last year. Now we have a lot of data to analyse. Teams were focused mostly on C2 and C3 [compounds] because they are focused on the car set-up and balance and to understand how the car behaves, but I believe that we have good information.” – he added.
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On the last day of testing in Spain, the circuit was artificially made wet using water tankers, in order to give teams the possibility of testing the wet and intermediate tyres, which helped Pirelli gather important data: “That was an opportunity that we decided to give to the teams because I feel that with such a big change in tyres and the car it was not right to face the wet conditions without having tested the wet or intermediates first. So, we asked the circuit to use as many tanks as they had and they had six, I believe, so in one hour’s time they put as much water as they can, and we had something similar to full wet conditions.”
“Also, to evaluate the crossover time between wet and intermediate, and the intermediate to slick. The crossover time is really important, to ensure that there is an overlay between two products and not a gap, because a gap is dangerous, you don’t have any tyres that are suitable for that condition, and we want to avoid that.” – he concluded.
Bahrain will now host the final three days of testing starting March 11, before the first round of the 2022 Formula 1 season also takes place at the Bahrain circuit one week later.
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