Aston Martin and McLaren to test Pirelli’s 2024 tyres at Spa
Pirelli will continue the work on their 2024 tyres following the Belgian Grand Prix with Aston Martin and McLaren set to take part in the in-season tyre evaluation.
Pirelli has been working on a very different specification of slick tyres that does not require a blanket for preheating. The Milan-based manufacturer has already introduced a blanket-free wet tyre in Monaco that has been used on multiple occasions since May as recent race weekends have been affected by rain.
The Italian manufacturer also wanted to debut an intermediate tyre that does not require blanket, but teams have rejected to use that in the current season, albeit it is expected to make its debut next year.
The blanket-free slick tyres have been developed for several months with in-season tests having taken place on a wide range of tracks including Bahrain, Barcelona and Silverstone.
The F1 Commission that consists of FOM, FIA and teams will discuss the matter this Friday in order to decide about whether the blanket-free tyres are introduced next year or their debut is postponed until 2025.
Even if the decision is to postpone the introduction of the brand-new tyres, Pirelli remains committed to complete the planned test with the blanket-free tyres with the next event set to take place at Spa after this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
Pirelli will work with McLaren and Aston Martin at the 7.004km Spa track with the two-day programme set to take place on August 1-2.
Stoffel Vandoorne, who drove two full seasons for McLaren in 2017 and 2018 before switching to Formula E, will get behind the wheel of Aston Martin’s 2023 F1 car, sharing driving duties with team regular Lance Stroll.
The former Formula E champion, who serves as test and reserve driver for McLaren and Aston Martin, will complete his first on-track outing in a current F1 car since he drove for Mercedes in the Abu Dhabi test in December 2020.
McLaren will split their two-day on-track action between their race drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
