Pedro de la Rosa has been released by the McLaren team to complete the final private Pirelli tyre test, despite only being re-signed by the Woking-based team earlier this month.
The Spaniard has the most knowledge of the tyres having completed sevearal thousand kilometres on them with the Toyota TF110 chassis. Pirelli have again adapted the car, going outside the regulations to do so, to simulate downforce levels matching that of Abu Dhabi 2010.
The test will help develop the tyres for later in the season, particularly for the Turkish GP which is very tyre heavy. Not only that, but Pirelli will use the data to help develop the tyres for the following year.
“The test is about working primarily for 2012, and we are working on new products too,” Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery told Autosport.
“It is also a check for us for Turkey because Turns 8 and 9 at Istanbul are a big challenge. I am not talking compound but structurally. We want to go there and have a double check to be sure.”
