“The first round of the 2023 season in Europe will feature two important innovations in terms of tyres, both aimed at improving the environmental sustainability of our sport.The first centres around qualifying: at Imola we will be testing a new regulation that requires teams to use a different type of compound for each of the three sessions, with the hards fitted for Q1, the mediums for Q2, and the softs for Q3. This means a reduction – from 13 to 11 – of the sets of dry tyres that each driver has available for the entire event, therefore decreasing the environmental impact generated by the production and transport of the tyres. ” – Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola explained
“Then, with the same aim, starting from this grand prix, a new compound of full wet tyre will be introduced which will not require the use of tyre warmers beforehand. Track tests have shown even better performance than the previous Cinturato Blue full wet, even without the electric heating of the tyre. The result of studies carried out by Pirelli, it is the first concrete step towards the use of dry tyres without preheating. Finally, we have chosen to bring our range of softer compounds (C3, C4, and C5) to Imola, which could offer the teams a wider range of strategic options ahead of the race.” – Mario Isola added, ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola.
For the Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Pirelli has chosen to supply the softer range of tire compounds. This means teams will have access to the C3 (P Zero White hard), C4 (P Zero Yellow medium), and C5 (P Zero Red soft) throughout the weekend. Imola, being the second race on the 2023 calendar after Baku, will be one of the few circuits featuring the three softest tire options.
The increased softness of the compounds could lead to more diverse race strategies. While Imola is traditionally a one-stop race, the reduced degradation of these tires compared to the past provides teams with more possibilities.
Autodromo Enzo and Dino Ferrari, which celebrated its 70th anniversary this year, is an “old-school” track built in 1953. It is narrower compared to modern circuits, presenting a challenge for overtaking but also creating more thrilling moments. Despite having been resurfaced a few years ago, the asphalt at Imola is moderately abrasive to tires. The track offers a smooth surface, with balanced lateral and longitudinal forces. The downforce and track evolution are considered average.
In 2022, the Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix took place in late April, a month earlier than this season. Although higher temperatures might be expected, current forecasts indicate that they will barely exceed 20°C.
During the Imola weekend, a new qualifying format will be implemented for testing purposes. In each of the three qualifying sessions, teams will be mandated to use a single type of tire compound: hards in Q1, mediums in Q2, and softs in Q3.
This experimental format, known as the “Alternative Tyre Allocation” (ATA), will enable a reduction in the number of dry-weather tire sets provided by Pirelli to 11, compared to the standard 13 sets used on race weekends without an F1 Sprint. These sets will be distributed as three hards, four mediums, and four softs. The allocation of wet tires remains unchanged, with four sets of Cinturato Green intermediate and three sets of Cinturato Blue full wet.
For the Sunday race, each driver will have a total of seven tire sets at their disposal. This includes a mandatory allocation of at least one set of both hard and medium compounds, as per usual. Out of the remaining four sets, one will be returned after FP1, another after FP2, and the final two after the third free practice session at the Imola circuit.
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