Teams get first taste of Pirelli’s 2013 tyres

The first taste of Pirelli’s 2013 tyres for teams came during free practice in Brazil, with the Italian firm bringing two extra sets of prototype tyres in addition to the usual allocation. The teams used the 2013 prototype tyres, which were distinguished by orange writing on the sidewalls, in the morning session. The prototype tyres seen in Brazil have a different structure compared to the 2012 tyres, using the current hard compound, but with a quicker warm-up time as well as deliberately faster degradation.

Hembery said: “With testing opportunities so limited in Formula One, we wanted to give teams the opportunity to try out our tyres before the first official test in February next year, so that they can start to understand how the new tyres interact with the current cars. The initial feedback we received has been very positive…” The tyres deliver “extra performance within a wider working range, due to increased cornering grip,” Hembery explains. “When we combine the new structure with the new compounds for next year we will see the full performance potential.”

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