Pirelli wants details on F1 standing starts
In 2015, Formula 1 will see the introduction of standing starts. Pirelli hopes to have more details on this procedure in order to work accordingly.
The introduction of standing starts after the intervention of the safety car will be one of the major new features of the premier discipline in 2015. Some drivers have already given their opinion on this new procedure – like Nico Rosberg or Fernando Alonso.
The organization and procedures surrounding these new restarts raise questions, particularly for Pirelli, which will remain the sole tire manufacturer for F1 in 2015 and 2016. The new standing start will constitute an additional critical phase for the drivers, the mechanics, and the tires.
The first draft of the 2015 Sporting Regulations, published this Tuesday on the FIA website, states in Article 40.13 that at the end of the lap in which the safety car will withdraw, drivers must position themselves on the grid in their racing position, keeping their engine running, before the light extinction procedure restarts the Grand Prix.
Paul Hembery, director of motorsport at Pirelli, is waiting for more details on this new rule, without rejecting it: “We need to understand a bit more in detail. There will be standing starts but after how long,” he wonders for *Autosport*.
The Briton points out potential temperature-related issues: « You see the cars when they arrive, there are all sorts of blowers being used, so it involves a lot of issues. It’s not just that the tires lose heat, but the cars might overheat, so it’s something they’ll have to perfect. »
Pirelli requests to be able to work on this issue: « From our point of view, obviously, we are driving behind the safety cars, so the temperatures drop. We would like to do some simulations to work on the time they will spend on the grid, and this is something we want to look at. »
