Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsPirelli

Pirelli explains tyre freedom plans for 2016

Pirelli has explained the planned regulation change to allow teams more freedom when it comes to choosing tyre compounds in 2016.

The teams requested to be able to pick any two compounds from the Pirelli range for each race in order to add in an extra aspect of variability each weekend, but the tyre manufacturer said the plan was unfeasible. However, having worked with the teams Pirelli is now close to confirming plans to nominate three tyre compounds per race weekend from which the teams pick their 13 sets of tyres.

“The idea is that we define the three compounds and then they can choose inside their 13 sets what they want,” racing manager Mario Isola said. “But it is not complete freedom. We have the one element of variability, but they are not completely free – to avoid the strangest of choices.”

Asked if teams have to pick just two compounds from the three available, Isola explained: “No, they can choose three and they are obliged to use two.

“The same regulation as now. They cannot race with just one compound, they have to race with more than one - two or three. The same number of sets and obviously the regulation is not finalised yet and the idea is to keep the same system we have now, so they have to return tyres after each practice and so on. It will also give them the opportunity to choose most of their sets and then make their strategies.”

With teams able to use all three compounds during the race if they wish, Isola says he believes they will eventually all end up making similar choices after initial variety.

“For sure at the beginning [there will be variability], but then you know Formula One, they converge on more or less the same decision. Obviously with experience they also find the same solution and converge on the same solution because it is the best solution. But at the beginning, when you introduce this type of variability, for sure you have different choices.

“If you consider that some cars are more severe on tyres and some cars are easier, they can make different choices depending on how they design the car or how the driver feels with the tyre. It is not only a matter of all going in the same direction, it is also a matter of how to design the car, driving style and so on. It could maintain some variability for the medium term.”

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.