Pirelli resumes 18-inch F1 tyre testing

Pirelli says it plans to undertake ten test sessions over 28 days this year. The sessions it is taking part in with nine Formula 1 teams will prepare them for the 2022 season and the introduction of 18-inch tyres and other technical regulations. Testing will be subject to any further restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Development of the 18-inch tyres actually began in 2019 but was paused for a year as a result of COVID-19. Testing resumes this year with a varied programme of slicks (seven sessions) and wets (three sessions) that takes in four stand-alone tests and six that will run immediately after a grand prix. The first two sessions took place at Jerez in Spain with Ferrari between 22 and 24 February, with both slick and wet tyres tested. In total, the test sessions cover 20 days throughout 2021, but as more than one car will be running during some of those days, there will be 28 ‘car days’ in all over the course of the year (22 days in the dry and six days in the wet).

We have a back-up plan

“We’re looking forward to resuming our tests for the new 18-inch tyres shortly, but as the COVID-19 pandemic – which led to the suspension of the test programme last year – is not yet over, it’s possible that our planned schedule for this year may have to be modified,” comments Mario Isola, Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing. “As a result, we have a back-up plan too. Nonetheless, we have put together a programme that should enable us to pick up solidly from where we left off in 2019 and finalise the specification for a new generation of tyre under fresh regulations that will give Formula 1 a very different look next year. Many thanks to all the teams for their support in providing simulations and mule cars, giving us a good base to work from. We will be testing both our slick and wet prototype 18-inch tyres for 2022: we started already at Jerez in Spain for three days with Ferrari, and we will end up at France’s Magny-Cours circuit with Alpine in September.”