Pirelli 2013

[turbof1]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/23141389

It appears we have a solution announced.

• Rear tyres to change to full Kevlar for Germany and remain with the 2013 geometries.
• From Hungary all tyres to revert back to 2012 construction specification in terms of construction materials and geometries I understand.

Point two, is the decision that should have been made in Bahrain. Good to see that finally some common sense is applied. The 2012 tyres were ok. What is needed now is an evaluation if the 2013 compounds make sense with the 2012 construction safety and performance wise.

And after Spa they probably have to make a decision on the supply contract.

I guess that is just a formality, no? Talks have been about an extra test after Sao Paulo for developing 2014 tyres. With all the effort put in to help Pirelli it would be quite idiotic not to go ahead for a contract renewal.

[CBeck113]

Now that Mercedes has finally understood the tires, they're being changed back to the ones they never understood. Sucks to be them...

Although many of my posts seem to be against Mercedes, I actually feel sorry for them. I do believe that they wanted to help understand the tires better in their infamous test, but in doing so and getting busted for it, it seams that karma has more against them than the FiA. I really believe that they tested this new compound during that test.

As for the rest of the teams, some may do better, while other will blame Pirelli for the blown year and start concentrating on thier 2014 cars.

I guess everyone can win from this situation.

[MOWOG]

The changes are good in terms of driver safety. But no one will have any idea how these new tires behave on track until practice begins. While it is true that all contestants will be disadvantaged equally, things did not have to get to this point. That they have is a matter of extreme embarrassment to the sport. :-"

Clearly, there is no one in the sport who can rein in Bernie and his cockamamie notions, all of which are designed to do nothing but fatten his wallet. Jean Todt has been revealed as a weak, toothless administrator. The teams have proven they would put their own drivers at risk to gain a competitive advantage.

The sport is in disarray and the root cause is a sclerotic old lunatic that no one has the balls to stand up to. Shame on them. Every one of them.

[WhiteBlue]

I guess that is just a formality, no? Talks have been about an extra test after Sao Paulo for developing 2014 tyres. With all the effort put in to help Pirelli it would be quite idiotic not to go ahead for a contract renewal.

I would think that another qualified supplier could also step in and run a test after the Brazilian GP. But I have to admit that time is running out and Pirelli might get away with it.

[turbof1]

Now that Mercedes has finally understood the tires, they're being changed back to the ones they never understood. Sucks to be them...

Although many of my posts seem to be against Mercedes, I actually feel sorry for them. I do believe that they wanted to help understand the tires better in their infamous test, but in doing so and getting busted for it, it seams that karma has more against them than the FiA. I really believe that they tested this new compound during that test.

As for the rest of the teams, some may do better, while other will blame Pirelli for the blown year and start concentrating on thier 2014 cars.

I guess everyone can win from this situation.

I think it'll be different then that. The 2012 tyres are more difficult to heat up compared to the 2013 ones. That's the general change. Aero-wise, all teams will be better off, being given a more stable platform.

No doubt it'll be a small reset and teams will have to rework their aero mapping, but I think it'll be minor. They do have a full year of data on those tyres. I do not believe it'll change much.

[Javert]

The only shame is that we'll lost Q laptime
With 2012 tires you can't carry so much speed in the corners

But the overall racing will benefit, not for the tires being harder (and in some way it helps)
Because with 2012 tires we have seen closer racing, less imbarassing leadings (like the first four drivers in Canada 2013)
and everyone had a chance

[MOWOG]

I have reported this thread and expect it to be closed. Please post in the Pirelli thread.

I disagree. The Pirelli thread now runs to over 125 pages and there is no one on earth who could possibly be familiar with all that has been posted there to date.

This thread focuses on a specific portion of the overall Pirelli experience in 2013 and allows those of us who do NOT have all day to spend digesting every jot and tittle of an enormous thread that has gotten out of control and grown unwieldy to comment on something we may actually have a specific interest in.

Leave it alone, say I.

[Huntresa]

Also that Brazil test may use 2014 engines if the teams bother and can install them in the current cars come Brazil.

[WhiteBlue]

Also that Brazil test may use 2014 engines if the teams bother and can install them in the current cars come Brazil.

That is not possible from the time table that most manufacturers have. Ferrari said today to Cooper that they are on a very tight schedule for 2014. The engines are now scheduled to run first in January. To bring that forward by 10 weeks and modify the cars to carry them seems like an impossible task to me.

This is information on the difference of the 2012 and 2013 construction from AMuS January 2013
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/form ... 05419.html

Neue Pirelli-Reifen sind zwei Kilogramm schwerer
Der Pirelli-Reifen der Saison 2013 ist innen und außen neu. Die Auflagefläche des Reifens wurde vergrößert. Da gibt der Schulter eckigere Form. Die Seitenwände sind um zehn Prozent weicher und federn mehr. Um den Verlust an Seitenstabilität aufzufangen, wurde die Schulter steifer ausgelegt.

Der zusätzliche Stahlring erhöht das Gewicht des Vorderreifens um 300, das des Hinterreifens um 700 Gramm. Ein Satz wiegt also insgesamt zwei Kilogramm mehr als im Vorjahr. Deshalb wird auch das Mindestgewicht der Autos auf 642 Kilogramm angehoben.

Weil sich die Reifen in Zukunft beim Bremsen und in Kurvenfahrt deutlich mehr verformen, musste Pirelli den Teams bereits im September die neuen Windkanalreifen zur Verfügung stellen.

Translation:
New Pirelli tyres are two kg heavier
The 2013 season Pirelli tyre is new from the inside and outside. The contact patch was increased. This gives a more angular shape to the tyre shoulder. The side walls are 10% softer and have more deformation. To compensate for the loss of lateral stability the shoulders are designed more rigid.

The additional steel belt increases the weight of the front tyre by 300 g and of the rear tyre by 700 g. Hence one set weights 2 kg more than last season. The minimum weight of the cars is increased to 642 kg as a result of this.

Pirelli had to supply the teams with new wind tunnel tyres in September (2012) because the tyres will have significantly increased deformation during braking and cornering.

[turbof1]

I would adapt the topic's title slightly and include the coming changes in germany as well. Germany will be interesting to see; teams will have big problems to keep both rear and front tyres within working temperatures.

[radosav]

If this is true,would it be possible that Ferrari asks that all teams revert to 2011 tyres,so that everyone has to adapt!

[ajdavison2]

Slightly confused, are they returning to the 2012 construction, but keeping the 2013 compounds? Or are they reverting entirely to the 2012 spec of tires including compound and construction.. if it's the former then I wouldn't of thought it will matter very much in terms of teams' performance relative to each other.

[turbof1]

-At Germany they will run 2013 rear tyres with the 2012 kevlar belt. The front tyres remain the same.
-At Hungary, they will effectively run 2012 tyres, front and rear. So from that race on, nothing from the 2013 tyres will be taken over.

That means, from Hungary on:
-softer sidewall
-harder compounds
-kevlar belt instead of steel belt

It could very well be that plans are still going to change. Pirelli will test several solutions at the YDT. So we'll have to wait and see, but for now this how it will go.

[WhiteBlue]

Yeah i understand the last part aswell as its 100% 2012 tyres, and not 2012 construction and 2013 compounds from Hungary and onwards.

At least from the BBC information I cannot see an indication that the compounds are to change back to 2012 compounds. It is possible though. We simply do not know.

What we will know is that:

• the contact patch will become smaller
• the aerodynamics will change as a result of geometry changes
• side walls will be stiffer and have less deformation
• temperature should be lower due to less heat dissipation
• traction will change to lower value due to reduced flexing of the side walls
• rear tyres will be 700g and front tyres will be 300g lighter
• safety should improve

[gibells]

It seems to me that Mercedes will now be much bigger losers following the Young Drivers Test that has now been changed to purely a Tyre Test.

I think following Sunday their position, and Charlie Whiting's and Pirelli's for that matter, in undertaking the test must surely have been vindicated.

I wonder if they will be able to appeal the FIA's decision based on the new events?