Pirelli promises ‘aggressive’ approach to F1 tyres
By Alex Kapadia
Pirelli has announced that it will take an “aggresive” approach towards the tyres it provides to the Formula One teams starting from next season.
The Italian tyres manufacturer, which takes over from Bridgestone as the sole supplier to the sport from 2011 to 2013, confirmed it will strive to achieve the level of excitement seen at the Canadian race.
The F1 outing at Montreal was one of the most spectacular this season due to Bridgestone supplying tyres with a different composition.
Now Pirelli want to continue this pattern next season.
Paul Hember, director of motorsport for Pirelli, said: “We are going to try and be aggressive – provide one ‘safe’ option and then an aggressive one to try and create the show.
“The fans, I am sure, are keen for that, and I have to say that the comments from the teams after Canada were that they actually enjoyed it.
“The team principals I have spoken to said that that was good fun. It might not have produced the result they all wanted, but it added to the strategy of the event.”
He added: “We want to participate with the sport and make the show, and Canada was a good example of what you can do if you provide an extreme solution.
“From a tyre maker’s point of view, you wonder if the public perceive that as a bad tyre, but in the end that is about communication. As long as we communicate it well, the drivers understand it and don’t start talking about bad tyres – and understand that it is part of the show – then it will be fine.
“I think all of them after Canada will probably agree they had more fun in that scenario than they probably would have done in a processional race. Certainly from a fans’ point of view it was fantastic.”
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