Pirelli – Syndication Server

Pirelli working on softer C6 compound for F1 street tracks in 2025

Pirelli is looking to expand the number of compounds in its selection in 2025 to address the number of street circuits Formula 1 now races on. The tire supplier currently has six slick compounds it can pick from for each race weekend, with three …

Pirelli is looking to expand the number of compounds in its selection in 2025 to address the number of street circuits Formula 1 now races on.

The tire supplier currently has six slick compounds it can pick from for each race weekend, with three nominated as the soft, medium and hard options at each venue. With the 24-race calendar including a wide range of track characteristics but a number of newer venues being street circuits — the latest being Las Vegas — Pirelli has been testing an even softer compound at Paul Ricard this week to try and suit the greater number of temporary tracks.

“We collected quite a lot of good information [testing] — we finalized more or less the construction of the 2025 slick tires,” Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola said. “We have very promising compounds to reduce overheating for 2025. The idea is to also introduce a new C6 compound, a softer one, because in the calendar we have more and more street circuits and we need softer compounds.

“So we are going to move the range a little bit on the soft side, always trying to reduce the overheating. The real problem is to find the right trade-off between overheating and degradation, because we need to keep degradation but reduce overheating. And that’s not always easy because the two elements are connected.”

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The new compound is for use on multiple circuits rather than specifically Monaco — something Isola recently told RACER was impossible to test effectively — and the Italian says it wasn’t a request from the teams to introduce an even softer compound, but something Pirelli has picked up on in recent years that would help its selections.

“That was our idea considering the calendar and considering where we go to race,” he said. “And obviously the target we have to encourage a mix between one- and two-stop strategies. So we made a proposal to go a bit softer.

“The request was to reduce the overheating. The risk is that if you reduce the overheating they change [tires] less, because obviously they can run more laps without high degradation. If we go in this direction then we need to have softer compounds in the range to select the compounds properly for each event.

“So our proposal was not having any constraints on the number of [compounds] we homologate. We said, ‘Let’s think about a C6, softer than C5, that can open up different strategies’ and we tested one in Paul Ricard a couple of days ago. It’s the first attempt but the idea is to go in this direction and probably homologate six compounds next year.”

Special tire wouldn’t solve Monaco issues – Pirelli

Pirelli could try and create a special tire compound specific to Monaco but says it would be hampered by a lack of opportunity to test at the venue. This year’s Monaco Grand Prix was particularly devoid of action because of a first-lap red flag that …

Pirelli could try and create a special tire compound specific to Monaco but says it would be hampered by a lack of opportunity to test at the venue.

This year’s Monaco Grand Prix was particularly devoid of action because of a first-lap red flag that allowed all drivers to complete their mandatory tire change, with the majority running to the end of the race on the hard compound and George Russell managing to do so on mediums. That’s despite Pirelli bringing its softest three compounds to Monaco each year, and head of motorsport Mario Isola says it’s a challenge to create a product just for the iconic track.

“It’s not unrealistic [to create],” Isola told RACER. “The only problem is to find a track that is similar to Monaco for testing, because to validate our compounds we always test them on different-severity circuits and obviously Monaco is so unique that we don’t have any other circuit that is comparable.

“And we cannot ask the city to close the track and the roads for us for testing, it’s impossible. So it’s impossible to test here and it’s very difficult to find something that is representative of Monaco.”

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Isola doesn’t think a specific compound would make a major difference anyway, as teams would still just run slowly to make them last because overtaking is so difficult.

“The problem here is to overtake, and obviously if you cannot overtake then you have to look at track position over the number of pit stops or any other element,” he said. “Clearly they are limited by the width of the road — they cannot increase it, but the cars are so big… For example we had a very good race with Formula 3, with smaller cars, with lots of overtaking and action, but Formula 3 are smaller and they can do that. With Formula 1 it’s very difficult.

“We know from experience that in this case teams are just managing the pace to extend the run and reduce the number of pit stops. Or you have to oblige them to make a higher number of pit stops but I believe the result could be that they’re going to stop on the same lap and it not really making a difference.”

Pirelli extends F1 tire deal until 2027

Pirelli has been confirmed as the tire partner supplying Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 until the end of 2027, following a recent tender process. The current supply contract ran until the end of 2024, with the FIA opening up the tender for …

Pirelli has been confirmed as the tire partner supplying Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 until the end of 2027, following a recent tender process.

The current supply contract ran until the end of 2024, with the FIA opening up the tender for 2025-2027 earlier this year with Pirelli facing competition from Bridgestone. It has now been confirmed that the Italian manufacturer will remain the sole supplier to F1 – as well as to the junior categories on the support schedule – for a further three years, and that the tires in 2024 will be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified for the first time.

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“Since returning to the sport in 2011 Pirelli has been an invaluable partner, supporting Formula 1 through new generations of technology and technical regulations and delivering tires to enable fantastic racing for our fans,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said.

“The company’s commitment to quality, innovation and their deep knowledge of our sport will be vital in the coming years as we approach our new regulations in 2026 and the work Pirelli is focused on relating to sustainability, proven by the FSC certification, will ensure we continue to work together towards our shared Net Zero 2030 goal.”

As part of the tender process, it was set out that the tires moving forward “are designed to ensure a wide working range, minimize overheating, and have low degradation whilst also creating the possibility for variation in strategies”. Despite recent safety concerns in Qatar, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says Pirelli has shown it is capable of responding to the performance levels of the latest generation of F1 car.

“Pirelli has been operating at the top level of motor sport for many years and I am sure that they will continue to deliver innovation and excellence on the world stage,” Ben Sulayem said. “Formula 1 is a unique challenge for the tyre supplier, and Pirelli has demonstrated great commitment to producing tires that meet the extreme demands of these incredible cars.

“I would like to thank Pirelli for its ongoing support of motor sport not only in Formula 1, but in many other championships and categories at every level. Work will continue in the coming years to take further strides both in terms of performance and sustainability, and Pirelli have made strong commitments to both of these targets.”

Pirelli’s executive vice president Marco Tronchetti Provera added that F1 is crucial to the company not only due to the sport’s reach and popularity but for the technological challenge it provides.

“We’re delighted to extend our presence in Formula 1 and its other related championships,” he said. “Pirelli was there when Formula 1 was born in 1950, and with this latest renewal, the firm will now be a protagonist throughout nearly two decades of the modern Formula 1 era.

“Thanks to the impetus from Liberty Media and the support of the FIA, the sport is enjoying an extraordinary period of growth both in terms of audience and global expansion, increasing its following among younger generations as well. Innovation and technology are locked into Pirelli’s DNA, and Formula 1 constitutes the ultimate open air laboratory to not only try out and test new technical solutions, but also to accelerate fresh research, development, and production processes in making tires.

“I would also like to thank everyone at Pirelli for their passionate commitment and the quality of their work over the years, which will continue as we extend this partnership together. Our commitment to sustainability is equally strong, as proved by the FSC certification that will be introduced to our F1 tires from next year. Being at the forefront of motorsport’s pinnacle until at least 2027 adds another important value dimension to our company.”

Maximum stint length imposed for Qatar GP

The Qatar Grand Prix will include maximum stint lengths of 18 laps to ensure tire integrity after concerns over curb strikes on Friday. Small damage was identified during Friday practice that was judged to have been caused by the severe edge of exit …

The Qatar Grand Prix will include maximum stint lengths of 18 laps to ensure tire integrity after concerns over curb strikes on Friday.

Small damage was identified during Friday practice that was judged to have been caused by the severe edge of exit curbs at circuit corners, and the amount of time cars run on them at high speed. While there were no failures, Pirelli noticed the initial signs in tires that had completed around 20 laps, so changed the track limits to try and keep them off the edges of curbs at Turn 12 and Turn 13.

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As the Sprint was an interrupted race with multiple Safety Car interventions, Pirelli felt it didn’t have enough data to be certain the problem has been removed, and in some cases, tires that were analyzed from the Sprint did show the initial onset of the separation in the sidewall between the topping compound and the carcass cords of the tires.

As a result, the FIA and Pirelli has agreed with the teams that it will mandate an 18-lap maximum tire stint for new tires for the race.

Used tires will be taken into account based on how many laps were completed at high speeds rather than cool downs, in and out laps in qualifying and Safety Car laps, and their permitted life communicated to each team by the FIA and Pirelli. Any car deemed to have exceeded the tire life lap limit will be reported to the stewards as being run in an unsafe condition.

While the stint lengths will lead to all teams needing to make at least three stops if the race runs its full distance under green flag conditions, the potential for interruptions, reduced laps and lapped cars means a three-stop race has not been directly mandated.

GPDA angered by FIA’s poor communication about Pirelli tire issues in Qatar

The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) were left angered by the way the FIA announced the tire issues impacting the Qatar Grand Prix, according to Carlos Sainz. An FIA statement on Saturday announced changes to the track layout and an extra …

The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) were left angered by the way the FIA announced the tire issues impacting the Qatar Grand Prix, according to Carlos Sainz.

An FIA statement on Saturday announced changes to the track layout and an extra familiarization session for the drivers before competitive sessions began, in response to initial signs of damage to the tires caused by the curbs at the Lusail International Circuit. Pirelli will analyze the tires used on Saturday overnight before letting the FIA decide if a three-stop race will be mandated on Sunday — including minimum stint lengths — but Sainz says the drivers were not informed before the news became public.

“If it’s necessary for safety then we have to do it,” Sainz said. “What I don’t appreciate and don’t like is that we were here in 2021, in the meantime there’s been two years to react to these bad curbs, there’s been a resurface, there’s been a [reprofile] of the curbs, and for some reason the FIA persisted with this design of curbs that are killing Pirelli tires. I’m not blaming Pirelli but clearly there is something going on there.

“At the same time, we arrived today in the morning and we see the news in the press. No one informs us that there’s going to be track limits, then no one tells us that the tire is delaminating or anything like that, and we have to learn things from the press which is clearly not how things should be done.

“As the GPDA, we were not happy with the situation and we hope that the collaboration starts getting better because, if not, reading things in the press when our safety is involved and our input should be considered is not good enough.”

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Max Verstappen is pleased safety is being prioritized but says the situation has highlighted how quickly the FIA and circuits can react to track limits issues.

“I think it’s never a good look for the sport,” Verstappen said. “But let’s first wait and see what they come up with, what the analysis [says] after the sprint race, what their findings are. Even in the sprint race you could see there was a lot of deg in the front tires, especially the front left was wearing a lot. It’s very tough around here.

“They already changed two corners in the high speed corners. I find [it] quite interesting how quickly these things can be changed, but when we speak about [wanting] to have track limits changed here and there with the white line or whatever, it’s all very hard.

“I think that’s also something for the future that we need to speak about, because I think we need to be heard a lot more, and in general, I think tomorrow it’s important that safety is foremost, and that we don’t get any punctures or worse accidents. Let’s see what happens tonight.”

Sprint winner Oscar Piastri says Pirelli and the FIA are dealing with the situation they are faced with the best they can, regardless of the catalyst.

“I think today’s sprint probably…didn’t get the best read on what the tires are going to do, with so many laps behind the safety car,” Piastri said. “I think Pirelli [and] the FIA need to be sensible going into tomorrow. Obviously if a tire lets go going through a high-speed section, yes there is quite a bit of run off, but it’s not a very enticing prospect.

“We’ll see what they do. Obviously it’s not ideal for anybody to be in this position, but I think it’s been at least encouraging they’ve been willing to try things to keep us safe. It would be preferable it didn’t happen in the first place, but there’s not much we can do about that now.”

No decision will be taken on any further changes being made or if maximum stint lengths will be imposed until Sunday morning, with the teams to be informed by the FIA in a meeting at 14:00 local time.

Tire worries ’embarrassing’ – Steiner

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says it is “embarrassing” to have a situation where track changes are needed because the layout damages tires, after revisions at the Qatar Grand Prix. Pirelli discovered initial signs of damage to the tire …

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says it is “embarrassing” to have a situation where track changes are needed because the layout damages tires, after revisions at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Pirelli discovered initial signs of damage to the tire construction on all compounds after Friday’s running at Lusail, with analysis suggesting the repeated impact of the highest part of new exit curbs was to blame. That led to the track being moved 80cm inside the exit curb at Turn 12 and Turn 13 to keep cars off the most severe sections, and Steiner says it’s a situation that shouldn’t arise in a world championship.

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“It’s not right” Steiner said. “Finding a solution… I don’t know where the history of these new curbs come from but it just came up out of the blue. I think there was signs already two years ago we had issues, but there were different curbs. They were supposed to develop some curbs that don’t damage the tires, but apparently the curbs we have developed damage the tires.

“I don’t know exactly where it comes from, these tires I think just cannot deal it. I do not have a lot more information than you as I just got the email from the FIA saying what they’re going to do. I didn’t speak with Pirelli yet to see what actually is happening.

“I think if they found issues with the tires that is what they need to do to make sure you’re not having a situation like a few years ago when you’ve got tires going down, which is never good.

“It’s a concerning thing for the future. It shouldn’t happen. This should not happen in Formula 1. Clearly … But it has, and now we have to see how we get out of it. The good thing coming out, there are solutions for this race weekend but going forward this shouldn’t happen again.

“I don’t know if you want to call it embarrassing, but in the end, it is embarrassing because this is not where we should be.”

While unhappy with the situation occurring in the first place, Steiner says the right response has taken place from Pirelli and the FIA to deal with the issue, having informed teams on Saturday morning of the track changes, provided an additional 10-minute familiarization session for drivers and outlined potential restrictions relating to stint lengths in Sunday’s race.

“It was decided this morning, not tonight – it’s not a lot of difference, but at least they are proactively doing something for tomorrow and now going out and changing some of the track limits so you’re not going over those curbs… should help a little bit. I don’t know if that solves the problem because it wasn’t clear to me, they are doing three corners where the track limits will be changed so we don’t go on the curbs.

“I don’t know if it is only those curbs, or other ones as well. They don’t know as much as they would like to know otherwise we wouldn’t have ended up in this place.

“For safety reasons, for sure, if they see any risk of seeing flat tires they will have maximum running of the tires of 20 laps, is my understanding for tomorrow for the race.”

Curbs behind Qatar tire concerns – Pirelli

Pirelli has explained that changes to the curbs and the time drivers are spending on them have created indications that there could be safety issues at the Qatar Grand Prix. The FIA has moved the track limits on the exit of Turn 12 and Turn 13 …

Pirelli has explained that changes to the curbs and the time drivers are spending on them have created indications that there could be safety issues at the Qatar Grand Prix.

The FIA has moved the track limits on the exit of Turn 12 and Turn 13 inside the existing exit curb by 80cm to prevent drivers running over the highest part of the curb that stands at 50mm. That’s in response to small initial hints at damage that were discovered by Pirelli after Friday practice, with the tire supplier concerned that use of the tires in the same way for more than 20 laps could lead to a construction failure in the race.

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Pirelli’s head of motorsport Mario Isola says the discovery was made during the standard post-session checks on Friday night and action had to be taken due to the potential safety permutations.

“Starting yesterday after free practice, as usual we collect several sets of tires,” Isola said. “They have to return one set of tires they used during free practice. We analyzed the sets. We saw an indication that in the construction of the tire on the sidewall, there was a small, small separation between the carcass cord and the topping compound.

“Obviously then we went deeper into the analysis, and this is due to strong impact against, or repeated impact against something. We believe that it is an impact against a curb. The geometry of the curbs we have here is similar to the geometry of the curbs we had in 2021, the second row of the curbs. And in 2021, we had a similar issue.

“So once we have seen this indication, obviously the first step was to inform the FIA to make them aware and find a solution. Maybe it’s because yesterday in free practice, all the drivers were running wide, they had low grip, and it was difficult to find the real line on the track. But our duty is to inform immediately if there is a potential issue. So with tires that we used yesterday and we analyzed were in the range of 20 laps, there is just the initiation (of an issue).

“But tomorrow, the race is 57 laps, and that means we that we need to understand better after the Sprint if with this additional track limits decided by the FIA, the problem is fixed or not. Probably the corners that are stressing the tire the most are Turns 12, 13 or 14. We have to spend a lot of time on the curbs.

“It’s not just the geometry of the curbs, because these curbs are used in many other circuits. It’s the time and the speed of staying on the curbs that is important. So here, during the lap, all the drivers are spending quite a lot of time at high speed on the curbs, and this is damaging the construction.”

The new track limits will remain in place for the rest of the weekend but if analysis after the 19-lap Sprint race show the issue to still be developing then maximum stint lengths will be imposed for Sunday’s race, as well as three mandatory pit stops. The choice of three stops rather than two has been made to ensure strategic variability is possible, rather than all teams being locked into the exact same stints.

F1 races in Qatar two years ago and Isola says the 13-inch tires that were used in 2021 were not necessarily more resistant to the issue than the current 18-inch specification, but that the way the curbing has changed in the two years since has created the problem.

“A smaller sidewall for sure is not helping this effect, because you have less opportunity to absorb the heat. But in general, when we made some specific test on the 18-inch tires, we realized that the level of resistance on the construction was in line with the 13 inches. So we are not saying that the 13-inch tire is weaker compared to the previous tire.

“The point is that in 2021, this was the second row, and so when they were going out, the first row was 25mm, and the second row was 50mm. Now we have only one row that is 50mm. So they jump over the curb and they go down. That’s probably why we found out this issue in free practice, or luckily, we found out this issue in free practice.

“I believe it’s a good example of predicting an issue, and also working with the other stakeholders in order to avoid any safety issues during a race. Better to discover in advance.

“Just to be completely clear, if I cut a tire and I show you the section, you cannot see any damage. It’s so small, that obviously we can find the damage with a microscope. So it’s not an issue that here I’m saying, ‘guys pay attention because we have a big issue’. No. It’s an indication, but obviously we cannot ignore it. That’s why I reported what we found after our analysis.

“I don’t want to talk about fault. There is an issue and we have to work together to fix the issue. Then obviously you learn from issues and for the future we have to find a better process to anticipate it. But it’s important that if there is an issue that is not predicted then we have a system that is happening before we have any tire issue on track and we can fix it, even if we have to change the schedule or the track limits or whatever.”

Tire safety concerns lead to changes in Qatar

The Qatar Grand Prix schedule has been changed to allow an extra practice session on Saturday ahead of the Sprint Shootout, while maximum stint lengths and a mandatory three-stop race could be imposed due to tire safety concerns. Following Friday’s …

Following Friday’s practice and qualifying session, Pirelli carried out its usual analysis, and in “tires that have been used for approximately 20 laps” a separation in the sidewall between the topping compound and the carcass cords on many of tires that were checked was discovered.

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“It is the view of the FIA and Pirelli that a significant number of additional laps on these tires could result in circumferential damage of the tires with subsequent air loss, and tires analyzed with lower lap numbers showed a much-reduced extent of the issue.

“This issue has likely been caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyre sidewall and the 50mm ‘pyramid’ curbs used extensively at this circuit, aggravated by the propensity to ride those curbs.”

The curbs are new for this year’s race compared to the only previous visit in 2021, while the track has also been resurfaced, and drivers were previously concerned about floor damage if they ran too far wide.

To try and negate the issue, the track limits will be revised at Turn 12 and Turn 13 – where drivers have been running onto them at high speed through the three-part left-hander – with the white line on the exit brought in by 80cm. The gap from the existing exit curb to the new track limit will be painted to make it clear visually for the drivers.

There will therefore be a 10-minute practice session at 16:00 to allow drivers to familiarize themselves with the new limitations ahead of the rest of running on Saturday. That was the original time the Sprint Shootout was due to start, so the start of that session will now be delayed by 20 minutes until 16:20 local time.

Turn 14 will also be monitored closely – as well as the exits of other corners – to see how wide drivers are running, but on Friday it was only 12 and 13 that saw the furthest extreme of the curb used regularly.

The FIA says “there will extensive tire analysis following the Sprint (19 laps), to decide whether further action needs to be taken ahead of the grand prix,” and if the problem is still evident then on safety grounds a directive will define the maximum stint length for a new set of tires to be 20 laps on Sunday (or 22 laps for a used set to allow for in and out laps in qualifying), and a three-stop race will be mandatory.

“Pirelli and the FIA will carry out extensive research and simulations in order to establish with complete confidence the reasons behind this issue, and to work on solutions to avoid it in the future,” the governing body added.

SRO, Pirelli set to extend partnership

SRO Motorsports Group and Pirelli are set to ink a new five-year agreement that will extend its long-running partnership to 2028. The deal, which is still being finalized, will see Pirelli continue as exclusive tire supplier to all of SRO’s series …

SRO Motorsports Group and Pirelli are set to ink a new five-year agreement that will extend its long-running partnership to 2028.

The deal, which is still being finalized, will see Pirelli continue as exclusive tire supplier to all of SRO’s series worldwide, which includes Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS series in America, Asia, Australia and Europe, the Intercontinental GT Challenge, GT4 and GT2 series, British GT and TC America.

“It is a source of great satisfaction for us to continue to provide such exciting and increasingly popular championships,” said Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport director. “In these years of collaboration with SRO, we have supported the evolution of cars and race formats around the world, and we will reinforce this commitment over the next five years, confirming the spirit that has always distinguished us and associated us with the organizer: a strong focus on customer and fan satisfaction.”

Pirelli and SRO’s partnership dates back to 2013, with the Italian brand supplying tires for full grids at hundreds of races organized by the company each year since then. It supplies the same P Zero DHF for all of SRO’s GT3 categories — including for SRO’s flagship event, the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, which goes through more than 15,000 tires with each running — as well as the standalone GT4 series and the GT2 category for gentleman drivers. Pirelli has set up local teams of technicians and engineers in each continent to support each category.

“Success in motor racing requires the very best partners and, in Pirelli, we have exactly that,” said Stephane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group founder and CEO. “For the past decade they have provided a world-class product to our teams, while also adding considerable commercial and technical support to our series and one-off events around the globe. It was natural, therefore, that we should extend our cooperation by a further five years.”

Pirelli aiming for qualifying tire rule trial at Imola

Pirelli is set to carry out a trial of a new qualifying tire rule at the Emilia-Romagna grand prix that dictates which compound can be used, if the weather allows. Teams previously had 13 sets of dry weather tires for a race weekend but will have …

Pirelli is set to carry out a trial of a new qualifying tire rule at the Emilia-Romagna grand prix that dictates which compound can be used, if the weather allows.

Teams previously had 13 sets of dry weather tires for a race weekend but will have that amount reduced to 11 for this weekend’s race at Imola, with four sets of softs, four sets of mediums, and three sets of hards. The trial will mandate to use the hard compound in Q1, the medium in Q2 and the soft in Q3, rather than softs at all stages of qualifying.

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Pirelli motorsport director Mario Isola says the focus of the changes is not only from a sporting perspective but also intends to make the tire process more sustainable with less wastage.

“The first round of the 2023 season in Europe will feature two important innovations in terms of tires, both aimed at improving the environmental sustainability of our sport,” Isola said.

“The first centers around qualifying: at Imola we will be testing a new regulation that requires teams to use a different type of compound for each of the three sessions, with the hards fitted for Q1, the mediums for Q2, and the softs for Q3. This means a reduction – from 13 to 11 – of the sets of dry tires that each driver has available for the entire event, therefore decreasing the environmental impact generated by the production and transport of the tires.

“Then, with the same aim, starting from this grand prix, a new compound of full wet tire will be introduced which will not require the use of tire warmers beforehand.

“Track tests have shown even better performance than the previous Cinturato Blue full wet, even without the electric heating of the tire. The result of studies carried out by Pirelli, it is the first concrete step towards the use of dry tires without preheating.

“Finally, we have chosen to bring our range of softer compounds (C3, C4, and C5) to Imola, which could offer the teams a wider range of strategic options ahead of the race.”

Pirelli’s qualifying tire intentions could be scuppered by the weather in Imola at present, with heavy rainfall and flash flooding occurring in the region in recent weeks and continuing in the build-up to the race, disrupting preparations at the circuit.