Pirelli 2015

[TAG]

Ran into this a couple of days ago and it amazes me that just in the second year of the new regs, we're likely to see record lap times not just record qualifying times given the expectations from Pirelli.

On another note, I'd heard the only change called for was a closer gap between full and inters so driver's wouldn't be so hesitant to ditch inters and perhaps prevent situations such as the Jules accident last year. Has there been any official comment?

Crash.Net Pirelli is expecting to see “pretty dramatic” improvements in pace in 2015 but still hopes to encourage more diverse strategies next season.

Since joining F1 as tyre supplier for the 2011 season, Pirelli has been tasked with delivering races with two or three pit stops to open up different strategy options. While motorsport director Paul Hembery admits there was less diversity in strategies in 2014, he says a slightly conservative approach was required due to the new power units and he expects significant car improvements will see the tyres used in a different way next season.

“2012 was probably the most exciting with all the different winners – seven or eight winners – that was fascinating,” Hembery said. “This year, we did come in to a year of a little bit of unknown technology. We had a reasonable idea of what to expect but there's no substitute really for actually seeing what it translates to in track performance.

“If anything, probably next year if we took the same choices everywhere what was maybe conservative this year we feel might start becoming aggressive because the pace evolution for next year is going to be pretty dramatic. We've seen big improvements already towards the end of this season and that's without them really being able to get anywhere near the powertrain in the way they'd like to.

“So we expect quite a big jump again in performance next season. If you're talking a second or even up to two seconds a lap speed improvement that dramatically changes the way the tyres are used. So we have to be wary of that and follow that, but overall this year we feel we got the balance about right considering such a big change and the forefront technology this year was quite rightly the new hybrid powertrains which is a fascinating technology.”

[Blanchimont]

In the test days following the Abu Dhabi GP, the 2015 tyre compounds were tested and i believe feedback from the drivers was positive( yes--> http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/3196 ... -feedback/ ). But don't forget that the 2015 cars will be 11kg heavier and the new nose design could also lead to a loss in downforce( http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2015- ... s-ferrari/ ), these two factors probably make up three to five tenths. On the other hand, a likely gain in engine power could compensate this.

However, Canada, Monza and Spa are the tracks where for me the probability is the highest to beat the 2013 times.

Edit: Controversial thought: As current tyre regulations are already artificial with the aim to have 2 or 3 stops per race with degrading tyres, wouldn't it be better(but still artificial) to mandate a minimum of two pit stops per race but bring in non degrading tyres?

[TAG]

don't forget that the 2015 cars will be 11kg heavier

I know the minimum weight being increased by 1kg, what's the reference you're making about the 11kg?

[lio007]

don't forget that the 2015 cars will be 11kg heavier

I know the minimum weight being increased by 1kg, what's the reference you're making about the 11kg?

The minimum weight in 2014 was 691 kg.

The (originally planned) minimum weight for 2015 was 701 kg. But this was furthermore increased by 1 kg, decided by WMSC last December.

So in total the minimum weight for 2015: 702 kg.

[FW17]

Looks like Pirelli are looking for excuse to not improve the tyres for 2015

, “Even if we took the same tyre choices everywhere, what was conservative might start becoming aggressive [in 2015] because the pace evolution for 2015 is going to be pretty dramatic.”

[TAG]

Not sure there is much that needs improving at this point. The main issues are no longer the tires but the regulations around the tires themselves. With the exception of a few wrong choice weekends like Sochi and Brazil I think it went well last year.

[Blanchimont]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117368

It seems that Pirelli is open to changes in tyre dimensions, what would probably be needed if the power is ramped up for 2016 or 2017.

But this part makes me wondering: "F1's current tyres are 245mm wide at the front and 325mm wide at the rear. Hembery believes that a good target to aim for would be an increase that makes the rears wider than 400mm."

As the rear wheels are between 365 and 380mm in width according to the regulations, the 245 and 325mm relate to the contact patch width only?

[godlameroso]

I think Pirelli has taken a step in the right direction with the tires this year. They seem to come on quick, and give you one banker lap, and thereafter they're consistent as long as you maintain a certain pace. In other words, the tires are consistent until they fall off the cliff as long as you stay within the temperature operating window. From the four races so far I've noticed the medium tire is probably the best race tire, it seems to be the most consistent, and it also seems to last as long as the hard. The problem with the hard is that it has a narrow operating window, and if you are under it, it grains, if you're over it, the tire disintegrates. The problem intensifies because it's the tire that needs to be worked the hardest to get to temperature, the overall effect is that the tire not only has less grip but doesn't seem to last any longer.

The soft tire seems to have equal performance to the medium tire over an average stint, the key difference is where the medium compound is more consistent, the soft compound has both higher speed at the start of the stint, but also lower speed at the end. The only reason Raikkonen was able to make his strategy work was the 5 extra laps he left at the end to run on soft tires.

The supersoft tire has not been ran yet in a race, I suspect that we may see a qualifying record in Monaco this year, if we do that will tell us how little this tire will last.

[bhall II]

Pirelli set to announce tyre usage clampdown

Pirelli on Thursday is poised to announce stricter guidelines regarding the use of its tyres by formula one teams ahead of the Italian grand prix.

It follows the high-speed blowouts suffered by Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel at Spa-Francorchamps, even though Rosberg's was said to have been a puncture.

And it is believed the sport's Italian tyre supplier is poised to announce at Monza that Vettel's failure was also due to a puncture, probably caused by higher-than-normal levels of debris on the Belgian circuit.

That is despite the fact Pirelli initially attributed the failure to excessive wear caused by Ferrari's ambitious one-stop strategy, sparking a furious rebuke from Vettel about the quality and safety of the tyres.

Nonetheless, Pirelli is tightening up the guidelines for the safe usage of its tyres, even though it is not yet clear if maximum tyre life limits will be mandated.

If they are, it is believed the maximum tyre life of the medium compound at Monza will be 46 laps, with 29 laps to be set for the soft.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said the matter has been discussed at the highest levels between FIA president Jean Todt and Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera.

What is certain, correspondent Michael Schmidt reports, is that more conservative limits regarding tyre camber and pressure will be mandated for Monza.

For camber, the maximum will be reduced from 3.5 to 3 degrees, with minimum pressure raised to around 23 PSI in order to relieve stress on the tyre walls and shoulders.

Pathetic.

[ME4ME]

The thing is, if they go all out and limit teams in all possible way's, they basically admit the tires weren't up for the job at SPA, and thus aren't for the rest of the season.

[SimRacer]

delete please

[Thunder]

Pathetic.

That's really all there is to say about Pirelli.

[Silent Storm]

What was the minimal tyre pressure before? And do the rear tyres have 0 camber or do they have a slight negative camber like 0.2-0.4

Do these minimum and maximum figures on tyre pressure and camber vary from track to track?

Will this effect those teams which run more negative camber like Redbull?

EDIT: according to Andrew Benson minimum tyre pressure increased by 5psi.

[Thunder]

Here was nothing ^^

[BanMeToo]

Following the recent technical analysis carried out on the tyres used at Spa, Pirelli concludes that:

1)The tests carried out by Pirelli on the tyres used at Spa have confirmed the absence of any structural problems. Pirelli has undertaken in-depth analysis on the materials and production processes used, utilising two different methods of tests and checks.

Microscopic analysis, carried out on a large number of the tyres after the second free practice session, showed no signs of fatigue or integrity issues. The same result was confirmed for the tyres used during the race, which were cross-sectioned and analysed in Milan. Some of the tyres used in the race were subjected to a further laboratory fatigue test, passing all the assessments conclusively and confirming that there was no structural degradation or problem on-track.

Since the start of 2015, 13,748 slick tyres have been used: including on especially severe tracks like Sepang, Barcelona and Silverstone. No problems have ever been discovered, underlining the fundamental solidity of the product.

2)The events of Spa can therefore be put down to external factors, linked with the prolonged use of the tyres on one of the most severe tracks of the championship.

The external factors are demonstrated by a total of 63 cuts found in the tread of the Formula One tyres used over the course of the Spa weekend, following numerous incidents that took place during the support races before the Formula One grand prix. In the previous 15 events (10 races and five test sessions) an average of only 1.2 cuts per event were noted. All this indicates an anomalous amount of detritus on the track in Spa, with a consequent increased risk of encountering a foreign object.

If even a small piece of debris – made of carbon or any other particularly sharp material – penetrates and cuts the various structural parts of a tyre (which is obviously subject to high-speed use, and more susceptible if used for a prolonged period) without penetrating the actual structure, this can cause a failure that is different to that found in the event of a normal puncture, which is characterised by a loss of tyre pressure. And the former was the type of event seen on Sebastian Vettel’s tyre at Spa.

As for Nico Rosberg, in whose case the tyre usage was less, the tyre held up – as the footage clearly shows – and the failure was not instantaneous. For four corners previously, an element of the internal structure of the tyre was visible, coming out of the tread pattern. This highlighted the existence of the damage and the consequent start of the tyre’s attrition.

Throughout the Spa weekend (including practice, qualifying and the race) cuts caused by debris were found on the tyres of other drivers, which damaged the construction but did not cause any failures.

3)At the end of qualifying on Saturday at Spa, following the exceptional number of cuts noted to the tyres, Pirelli pointed out the condition of the circuit to the FIA and asked for it to be cleaned, as well as for the teams to be told. The FIA reacted promptly in arranging for the track to be cleaned and advising the teams.

Together with the FIA, Pirelli proposes a study to evaluate the way in which circuits can be cleaned most effectively.

The FIA said it will “consider any safety recommendations made by the tyre supplier for the Italian GP and for the remainder of the season”. A Pirelli spokesperson told F1 Fanatic there will be “no changes whatsoever to any tyre regulations for this weekend”.