2023-11-14 13:00:03
In order to increase technology transfers between Formula 1 and the road, the tires in the premier category of motorsport went from 13 inches to 18 inches with the arrival of the new 2022 technical regulations. following the return to wider single-seaters in 2017, which marked the introduction of tires 6 cm wider at the front and 8 cm wider at the rear.
However, these larger wheels and tires contribute to the new minimum weight of 798 kg. Drivers complain of understeering single-seaters, which lack liveliness. On the other hand, the current regulations have brought the desired gains in terms of overruns.
Consequently, Pirelli – which signed a new contract with F1 for be the sole manufacturer until 2027, with an option for an additional season – expects specifications requiring tires with reduced dimensions.
“In 2026 we will have a completely new car, and probably a new tire size”, says Mario Isola, competition director at Pirelli. Smaller, lighter tires? “It’s possible. It’s not yet defined, but the goal is no secret: to design cars that are lighter, more agile, and the tires play a role in the weight of the car. So it’s We may have to supply smaller tires.”
Mario Isola, competition director, Pirelli
“If we have to supply smaller tires as we have done in the past, we will do so in 2026. This is part of our agreement with Formula 1, to follow the requests of all stakeholders in the sport to design a tire which always corresponds to the objectives defined by them.”
Isola adds that reducing tire size is the main way to make them lose weight, given the technology already in use: “As for the elements of tire construction, we already use high-tech materials which are very light. If you put a lot of weight in the tire, you generate more heat. Generating more heat carries a risk of blisters or other situations that are not good for the performance and durability of the tire.”
“When we decided to produce the new construction at Silverstone [en 2023], it was just a new, stronger material for the same weight. We have a department dedicated to reinforcing materials and compounds and we are always looking to improve the strength of the material by keeping the weight as low as possible. It is also useful for technology transfer [vers la route].”
Pirelli has also revealed that it is regarding to launch its analyzes on the construction of F1 2025 tires, in the context of driver dissatisfaction over high degradation.
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