Pirelli will contribute to the performance gains of the single-seaters during the season
According to Paul Hembery, Pirelli's competition director, the race cars will experience a significant performance gain during the season, notably due to the evolution of the Italian tires.
The regulatory changes in Formula 1 this year regarding aerodynamics and engines have somewhat overshadowed the importance of tires in the behavior of the cars.
According to Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s motorsport director, better tire utilization during the year should lead to rapid performance gains for the cars: « Teams have focused on a large number of factors in the early part of the year and we will see more and more work directed towards the compatibility between the chassis and tires as the season progresses to improve the balance between the front and rear of the car. »
The performance of the single-seaters should therefore see a leap forward, which, combined with better utilization of power units, could save a few seconds per lap: « There will be a lot of performance gains in the corners. We are therefore expecting many changes throughout the season. We take this into account and there will be significant steps in performance. »
Hembery remains convinced that the four dry-weather tire compounds will provide a correct operating range if they are properly allocated according to the circuits: « We are quite confident, especially at the beginning of the season on rather aggressive circuits. By the end of the year, there will be a balance between being cautious with tire choices and also looking at the level of development of the car. Often, you have two compounds that work well, and two others that represent an extreme choice. But today, you could run in Bahrain with all four compounds, which was not the case before. »
Pirelli has strived to adapt to the new regulations, notably by taking into account the increased torque provided by the new power units: « We have tried to find a balance between tear resistance and thermal resistance. With less downforce, you’ll be able to get more mechanical grip from the tire, but if you go too far in this direction, then you risk tearing. So far, we are quite satisfied. In some cases, you risk overheating if you push too hard in certain parts of the track or on corner exits, but it’s an area where teams will work and improve. »
