Pirelli understands drivers' concerns, 'but it's not a drama'
Exclusive
Mario Isola, the boss of Pirelli's F1 division, looks to the future with confidence. The Italian thinks the possible new Pirelli tyres, without tyre blankets, will eventually work. Although he understands drivers' concerns, he says in an exclusive interview with GPblog.
With the aim of being a lesser thorn in the side of the environment, the pinnacle of motorsport is exploring several ways to be less polluting. Sometimes the difference is in the little things. Earlier, the FOM presented a more efficient racing calendar, which allows teams to reduce air travel. Formula 1 also wants to run with engines half powered by electricity by 2026. But tyres, too, are being taken in hand.
The future Pirelli rubber would no longer need to be heated before being sent onto the track. This new generation of tyres has already been tested at Barcelona and made Isola hopeful. "Within one lap the tyre was ready," the Italian stated. "Maybe the first two or three corners, the drivers have to pay attention clearly, and then it's working."
'It's not a drama'
The Pirelli man understands the concerns some drivers have: "I know there is a lot of resistance, but that is also normal, because we are talking about a completely different tyre." According to Isola, therefore, this new generation of tyres cannot be expected to work the same, because "when you exit the pit lane, you are on cold tyres." But the data looks hopeful for now. "You can see that sector one is slightly slower and then they go up to speed in one lap. It's not a drama."
The original plan was to run with the new tyres from 2024, but it remains to be seen whether the plan can count on a majority.