Pirelli prepares backup tyres for 2017

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Pirelli prepares backup tyres for 2017

Pirelli has developed a range of 'backup' tyre compounds for 2017.

The F1 tyre supplier has said designing its significantly bigger, faster and less degrading slicks has been difficult due to a lack of testing.

"Even the modified 2015 cars could not simulate the downforce of this year, so we've had to rely on simulations," Pirelli chief Paul Hembery said.

He told the German broadcaster RTL: "The biggest challenge for us is not having seen the new cars. We'll probably only see if our data corresponds to reality on Saturday night in Melbourne."

Hembery's Pirelli colleague Mario Isola explained: "In the first five races, we will only use the basic compounds.

"We developed them on the basis of the information collected from our testing and the simulations.

"But some elements are difficult to predict, so we have prepared five reserve compounds that can be used if the real track data does not coincide with what we simulated," he said.

(GMM)

Other stories for FEBRUARY 16, 2017

MERCEDES CONFIRMS NEW TECH BOSS ALLISON

FIA DENIES CONFLICT OF INTEREST

SYDNEY EYEING F1 AFTER LIBERTY MEDIA BUYOUT

F1 INCHES CLOSER TO EUROPEAN INVESTIGATION

INSIDERS PLAY DOWN FERRARI RUMOURS

MCLAREN DENIES ORANGE 2017 CAR LEAKED

BOTTAS SAYS HAMILTON WELCOMED ME TO TEAM

BOTTAS PLAYS DOWN EUR 8M SALARY REPORTS

BOTTAS GETS ROSBERG'S RACE ENGINEER

GIOVINAZZI COULD REPLACE WEHRLEIN IN TEST

PIRELLI PREPARES BACKUP TYRES FOR 2017

NO TYRE PROBLEM IN VETTEL CRASH