Pirelli Reveals 2 New Compounds

PIRELLI REVEALS HYPER-SOFT AND SUPER-HARD COMPOUNDS

    Pirelli has extended its range of slick tyre options for the 2018 Formula 1 season with the introduction of hyper-soft and super-hard compounds.

    Seven different dry weather compounds will be available to teams next year, as well as the intermediate and wet tyres for wet conditions.

    All the compounds will be a step softer than their 2017 counterparts.

    “We realize that, under the unique circumstances of this year, some of our 2017 compounds were perhaps conservative,” said Pirelli’s Head of Car Racing, Mario Isola.

    “The tyres we have created for 2018 address this, in line with the objective of having around two pit stops at most races.

    However, the fundamental design concept of the tyres hasn’t changed next year, preserving the attributes that all drivers have appreciated this year and allowing them to push hard from the start to the finish of each sting."

    “The new range consists of faster tyres that should lead to even harder and more spectacular racing in 2018.”

    The hyper-soft tyre was designed for circuits like Monaco, where maximum mechanical grip is required. The super-hard compound, however, isn’t likely to be seen during a race next year, with some claiming the tyre will only be used for demonstration events.

    Teams got a chance to trial the new tyres during the post season tests last week.

    The colours of the tyres have been switched to make room for the new compounds. The super-hard tyre will be orange, which was used for the hard compound this season. The hard tyre will now be blue, while the medium, softs, super-softs, and ultra-softs remaining white, yellow, red, and purple respectively. The hyper-soft compound will be pink.

----
Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @Bethonie_Boost & @F1Insider78

Wider Tyres for Faster Cars in 2017

WIDER TYRES FOR 2017

    It may still be Pirelli supplying them, but Formula 1 tyres in 2017 are going to be very different. We’ve yet to see tyres fitting next year’s specifications out on track, with those Pascal Wehrlein tested at Silverstone still the 2016 tyre size, but that will change when Pirelli’s testing plan starts in August.

    Next year’s tyres will be wider. Pirelli’s objective was to meet F1’s target of improving lap times by around four seconds a lap – no easy feat. The answer was to make the tyres twenty five percent wider, to increase the “contact patch” (the area in contact with the ground).

    The size won’t be the only change. The make up of each of the compounds will be changed, though Pirelli are still experimenting with the exact constructions.

    Wehrlein trailed potential compounds at the Silverstone test.

    “We were also able to get some data about potential 2017 compounds and constructions within a 2016 tyre size,” said Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director. “This has given us a number of interesting areas to work on.”

    The experimental compounds will be in 2017 sizes next month, when Pirelli’s testing begins. Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull will all take part in blind tests, working with a hybrid car that Pirelli expects next year’s machines to be like. The information collected will be given to all the teams, to ensure fairness.

    “We will be on the track for the first time in the first four days of August,” Hembery told F1.com. “Working with a hybrid car and not with an exact 2017 car. But that will give us a good guideline of how the tyres are performing. And that will give a lot of answers to a lot of questions. There is, of course, already a huge amount of work and indoor testing going on in our factory. I am hopeful that we will give the sport what it wants in 2017.”

    Pirelli are aiming to have the final version of the 2017 tyres ready by pre-season testing, but changes may have to be made if their guess work on what the new cars will look like doesn’t match up to the real thing.

----
Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
No copyright infringement intended
Sources: F1.com, Pirelli press release
Follow us on Twitter @Bethonie_Boost & @F1Insider78