Pirelli has been ordered to produce tyres which drivers can push to the limit in 2017, as the sport tries to appeal to new and existing fans which have called for “out and out” racing.
At present, Pirelli produces tyres which have a point of extreme degradation, otherwise known as “the cliff” whereby they become considerably slower and force drivers to pit after a certain number of laps have been completed on them.
With the introduction of wider cars and more downforce next year as the sport seeks to reduce lap times by between four and five seconds, Pirelli has been told it must produce a tyre which can handle new levels of downforce without the requirement for drivers to back off.
Formula 1 bosses believe it will make the racing more exciting for fans and more difficult for drivers.
The FIA has agreed to provide Pirelli with 12 days of exclusive tyre testing to ensure it can meet those requirements and it’s believed they will be given use of either an old V8 F1 car or a modified GP2 car to mimic the expected 2017 downforce levels.
That point remains up for discussion: "The FIA, teams and official tyre supplier will continue discussions on the best solution for testing of the new tyres required as part of the regulations,” confirmed the FIA on Wednesday.
Pirelli has already been given preliminary data of what it can expect in 2017, but will be provided with more detailed information by the end of March following further analysis and simulations.
With wider cars, wider tyres, larger diffusers and lower wings set for introduction next year, as per a proposal by McLaren, it’s hoped cars will generate more downforce from the floor, whilst wider tyres will increase mechanical grip, allowing for cars to follow more closely.
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