Pirelli will use the Renault R30 for its tests
Last week, Paul Hembery told Autosport that he had found a solution regarding the car used by the Italian manufacturer for its tests. Pirelli announced today that they will be using the Renault R30, compliant with the regulations introduced in 2010.
Since its return to Formula One as the sole tire manufacturer for the discipline, Pirelli uses an updated Toyota TF109 for its F1 tire development tests. Designed by the Japanese brand for the 2009 World Championship, and after two years of faithful service for Pirelli, the TF109 will be replaced by the Renault R30. The R30 was developed by the diamond brand for the 2010 season and therefore includes some of the regulatory changes introduced two years ago and still in effect today, notably the ban on refueling during the race.
« It quickly became evident that we needed a more modern solution for our development car, and although the Toyota TF109 was extremely useful to us, it is now three years old » explains Paul Hembery, director of Pirelli Motorsport, to Autosport. « Both technology and regulations have evolved considerably since then, and the Toyota is no longer able to generate the same constraints that we need to simulate in order to meet the current requirements of Formula One. »
Pirelli has therefore managed to force the hand of the teams, who were long reluctant to let the Italian manufacturer use a recent car, fearing it would favor one of the current teams. Paul Hembery assures that, despite the use of the Renault chassis, every effort will be made to ensure fair treatment for each of the teams: « At the top of our priorities is the need to treat the teams fairly, which is why we will be running independently and the teams can send an observer during the tests. Our new car will comply with the fuel regulations, without refueling, so we will be able to simulate races and the changes that this implies on the balance of the car and on the tires. »
The Milanese manufacturer, which has planned between four and five testing sessions during the season, with the first to take place in May, is now expected to focus on selecting a new development driver from among the many candidates left on the fringes of F1: “The last piece of the puzzle will be to recruit a test driver, and we hope to announce the name by next month,” confirms Paul Hembery.
