Formula One Teams Back Pirelli's Extra Testing For Wider Tyres
In the 2017 season of Formula One, tyres will be wider to ensure cars are faster and teams have supported Pirelli's push for extra testing despite timing difficulties.
Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said Formula One teams supported the tyre supplier's push for extra testing despite difficulties with timing and remodelling their cars. (Pirelli to Use Different Compound of Tyres)
Hembery told AFP there was a "broad recognition" among teams that testing needs to be done before the introduction of wider tyres, which will make the cars faster, in 2017. (Mercedes Ready to Resolve Problems with Pirelli Tyres)
He said Pirelli would make good on its threat to walk away from F1 if no tyre-testing sessions are agreed. Pirelli has made testing a condition of renewing its contract from 2017.
"If we don't have testing we can't do the job, it's impossible for us to do such a big change," Hembery said at this week's Sports Matters conference in Singapore.
"One from the safety point of view, from a performance and reliability point of view we need to get out on track.
"That opens up difficulties for the teams because they need to create a car that takes a wider tyre, so probably suspension changes and the aero(dynamics)... to replicate the (2017) car.
"But we do need to perform some adequate testing otherwise we won't be able to continue."
Pirelli has been caught between the needs of promoter Bernie Ecclestone, who wants disintegrating tyres to increase the action, and drivers who complain they cannot go flat-out.
Tyre blow-outs at the Belgian Grand Prix brought matters to a head but Hembery said the opening of regular talks with drivers, starting this month in Monza, had helped ease tensions.
"They've (drivers) been very positive. It's like everything in life... open dialogue's always good," Hembery said.
"I'm hopeful that going forward this will improve from everybody's perspective and point of view how we work together."
He added that Pirelli, F1's sole tyre supplier, was pushing for a standard cleaning process at tracks, which can become littered with sharp debris especially after accidents.
Clean-up methods currently vary wildly from circuit to circuit around the world, from workers wielding brooms to sophisticated blowing machines.
"I would think that a standardised cleaning process is vital," Hembery said. "It's something we've been pushing for and I think now we will find going forward there will be more attention to that area."