‘We fulfilled our brief’ – Pirelli compares 2014 F1 season with 2013

Pirelli’s motorsport director reports that changes to its Formula One tyres, particularly the soft tyre, led to increased possibilities for different race strategies in the 2014 F1 season. This year’s tyres, Paul Hembery explains, were a departure from those supplied to teams between 2011 and 2013: “After three years of making tyres that feature deliberate degradation, in accordance with our brief, this year’s revolutionary new rules with turbocharging and increased torque prompted the need for more consistent and predictable tyres, leading to the same average number of pit stops per race (2 or 3).” The average total pit stops seen in a race during the 2014 season was 44, seven less than in the previous season.