Pirelli will introduce a new 18-inch tyre design concept at the Silverstone test next week in a bid to showcase their future vision for Formula 1’s tyres.
Pirelli have been keen to see F1 switch to larger rims and low-profile tyres ever since it re-entered the sport in 2010, as not only does it reflect the modern tyre market, but it would help to bring greater technology transfer from F1 to road tyres.
The company stressed that it would only continue developing the prototype if the teams, promoter and other stakeholders get behind the plan.
A new 18-inch tyre would not be without its technical challenges to produce, although the pay-off would be increased rigidity through having less flexibility in the sidewalls. Nonetheless, this necessary movement forms an important part of the current F1 car’s suspension and damping.
Lotus is scheduled to take a 2014 E22 out on the Silverstone track during next week’s test on Wednesday, equipped with one-off Pirelli P Zero 18-inch concept tyres.
Speaking about the concept, Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery said: “The 13-inch tyre is no longer relevant to the everyday road user, because even an 18-inch tyre is used by standard vehicles these days.
“While 18-inch tyres would be a big step for Formula One, there are many other motorsport series that already use this size. So there’s scope to go even bigger than that in Formula One in years to come.
“In order to underline F1’s role as a test bed for future mobility solutions, we believe that it benefits everybody to have as close a link between road car tyres and competition tyres as possible: a belief we have held ever since we introduced the low profile tyre from competition to road use back in the 1970s.
“We’d like to emphasise that this move is not something that we are actively pushing for, as our role in Formula One is not to instigate changes. Instead, it’s to help teams and drivers make the most out of the equipment, regulations and resources they have at their disposal – whatever they decide that framework is going to be.”
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