Pirelli ‘Slightly Ahead’ With F1 Tyre Testing

Testing of Pirelli’s Formula One tyres continues, and the Italian tyre maker says test driver Nick Heidfeld was busy at the Le Castellet circuit in the south of France during the first week of September. The Toyota TF109 test car fitted with F1 PZero tyres was on the track for two days in order to further evaluate tyre construction and compounds.

The Le Castellet circuit, which has recently been developed into a high-tech test facility, can be driven in a number of different configurations. Pirelli’s test team says it made “full use” of the circuit to run a high-speed configuration, enabling the engineers to assess the performance of the tyres under extreme loading as well as through slower and more technical sections. Pirelli reports the car and tyres both performed “perfectly” throughout both test days. Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s motorsport director, commented that the performance of the new rubber, as well as its consistency and reliability, fully matched Pirelli’s expectations.

“We’re very happy with the progress we’ve made so far, which actually puts us slightly ahead of where we expected to be at this point in time,” Hembery pointed out. “We worked through an initial development programme that has given us a useful insight into the performance of our prototype tyres under a wide range of conditions, corners and speeds. We’ve been hugely encouraged by what we’ve seen up to now, and that’s been helped by both Nick’s clear and precise feedback, as well as all the different possibilities afforded to us by the Paul Ricard circuit.”

Pirelli’s test programme will continue in Spain in two weeks’ time. The tyre maker also used its time at the Le Castellet circuit to test its GP2 tyres, which will make their debut next season as part of a three-year tyre supply agreement that also takes in the entry-level GP3 series. Testing was carried out by Italian driver Giorgio Pantano.