Drivers to get 'prototype' tyre for Friday action

[vcs316]

May 6th, 2013 (GMM).- Pirelli has finally confirmed that it will supply a new 'prototype' hard tyre to teams from this weekend in Barcelona.

The extra tyre set, which will not carry any distinguishing colour markings, will be allocated to each driver on Friday with the aim of spicing up the track action in practice.

It is a "specially-created compound with the emphasis on durability so that the teams run for as long as possible", Pirelli announced in a media statement.

F1's official supplier admitted the move is to discourage drivers who would otherwise opt to "conserve tyres for the rest of the race weekend".

"It's something we wanted to do to encourage all the teams to run as much as possible right from the start, especially with the rookie drivers, to give fans the spectacle they deserve to see," said motor sport director Paul Hembery.

However, although there were suggestions the tyre would only be available to rookie drivers, in fact every car in the field will be eligible to run the new unmarked tyre.

"The (rookie) idea failed," said German correspondent for Auto Motor und Sport, Tobias Gruner, "because of the resistance of top teams who only have experienced drivers in their ranks."

http://www.f1plus.com/en/news/item/3...friday-action?

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Would the data collected from this prototype tyre be relevant? If not, why would the teams opt to go out on them?

[wisepie]

That's fine encouraging teams to use a prototype tyre to give the spectators more chance to see the cars in action on the Friday, but what effect will this have on engines which have to last so many races? If they can't get any really relevant info as it's a protoype tyre, what exactly is the point of running any longer than necessary? Not sure this is going to help anyone very much.

[Aberracus]

Don't you think it will help with testing new aerodynamic parts?

[Rob]

Just tweeted Paul Hembrey, asking about why prototype tyre being used and not existing hard tyre so then data can be used from the runs.

[Rob]

Don't you think it will help with testing new aerodynamic parts?

No not really, as the data being collected will be on non race tyre.

[wisepie]

I suppose it could help with aero fine-tuning, but as Rob says, will it actually be produce any really relevant information, it could just as easily hinder any set-up for the rest of the weekend. The team will just have one more strategic dilemma to deal with!

[Jose Lorca]

I really hope this isn't the start of Pirelli changing the tyres to suit Red Bull. Red Bull's moaning has already brought them back the 2012 hard tyre and no doubt they will lobby for this prototype tyre to be used in races. Hopefully Pirelli will resist their bull****.

[Tifoso]

Add to this that Pirelli is an Inter sponsor, and one can't help but see possible conspiracy theories sprout.

[Greig]

If testing new parts then having tyres that are consistent lap after lap would be a good thing I would have thought? as you then know its the parts working and not just the tyres.

[fratelliferrari]

It's good news for the fans at least. I have watched almost all Free Practices this year and half of the time there isn't any action

[killer]

Given what they want to achieve, why not just extra sets of the tyres selected for the GP?

[Tifoso]

If testing new parts then having tyres that are consistent lap after lap would be a good thing I would have thought? as you then know its the parts working and not just the tyres.

Good point, this

[izybluffen]

I really hope this isn't the start of Pirelli changing the tyres to suit Red Bull. Red Bull's moaning has already brought them back the 2012 hard tyre and no doubt they will lobby for this prototype tyre to be used in races. Hopefully Pirelli will resist their bull****.

My thoughts exactly.

[wisepie]

If testing new parts then having tyres that are consistent lap after lap would be a good thing I would have thought? as you then know its the parts working and not just the tyres.

Good point, Greig, but why do this at all unless someone (RB) has put pressure on Pirelli to make these prototype tyres. Is it a move to make the tyres more consistent for longer and can we expect them to be adopted sooner rather than later? I smell a rat there somewhere, RB cajoling Pirelli and the FIA to introduce tyres to their specification. We'll see.

[Kingdom Hearts]

This smells like a second change of tyres, being the first one Barcelona.

[Greig]

Good point, Greig, but why do this at all unless someone (RB) has put pressure on Pirelli to make these prototype tyres. Is it a move to make the tyres more consistent for longer and can we expect them to be adopted sooner rather than later? I smell a rat there somewhere, RB cajoling Pirelli and the FIA to introduce tyres to their specification. We'll see.

I don't see anything that suggests they will be used in races, the FIA do not want tyres that run and run (Bridgestone) and Pirelli are doing what the FIA ask for.

[Massimo]

The hard compound will now have a larger working range, i really don't see where the benefits for just Red Bull are in this, a larger working range will be better for almost all teams.
Red Bull is suffering on the softs and medium, so they do the longer race stints on the hard tyre, that has now become more durable but also slower, so how can that benefit Red Bull?
If Pirelli would have made the soft and medium tyre more durable, than Red Bull would have had an advantage, now i just don't see it.

[sagi58]

Dumb Question of the Day:

Why change the compounds mid-season, regardless of who wants what?

[Greig]

"After evaluating tyre performance over the balance of the first four races, we took the decision - in consultation with all of the teams - to change the hard compound from Spain onwards, as we did in Barcelona two years ago when we also introduced a new hard tyre for the rest of the season," Pirelli's motorsport boss Paul Hembery said in a statement.

[OSS EL BOSS]

Don't you think it will help with testing new aerodynamic parts?

Sure! Only you will not be able to gather tyre data (durability, operating window, etc.) and you cant do setup work as it is a different compound from the 2 compound for the race. There are surely no changes made to the outer structure of the tyres and thats the only part that influences the aerodynamic of the car, so this extra set of tyres is coming in the right moment to help us testing our developements as it will do to the other teams as well.