The beginning of the Saturday dash occasion at Spa was delayed by rain, and when it will definitely received underway the vehicles ran on full moist tyres behind the protection automobile – as mandated by the principles – earlier than the sector was launched.
Half the vehicles then got here straight in for intermediates, with the remainder following go well with on the finish of the primary flying lap. It was solely double stacking and pitlane visitors concerns that stopped everybody from coming in immediately.
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Drivers have been fast to level out afterwards that the total moist tyre is “pointless”, as GPDA director George Russell described it, with Spa demonstrating as soon as once more the catch-22 is that if it’s raining exhausting sufficient for the moist to be required, then visibility points imply that the vehicles can’t run at racing speeds.
The dialogue prompted Pirelli to tout an thought it had been pondering for some time of ditching the total moist and as an alternative having a single “tremendous intermediate” that may work throughout all moist situations – in impact permitting drivers to go from security automobile operating to racing with the identical tyre.
Over its stint within the sport, Pirelli has been obliged to place an enormous effort into wets and intermediates. One helpful current growth has been the transfer to blanket-free wets, first raced in Monaco, and which will likely be joined by intermediates in 2024.
“I consider that we’ve to to start with to divide two issues,” mentioned Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola. “One is the efficiency of the moist. One is the visibility. Efficiency-wise, what I can inform you is that after we have been growing the [blanket-free] tyres, we discovered a outcome when it comes to efficiency that was a lot, a lot better than the {old} moist tyre.
“It isn’t sufficient, perhaps, however we did a step. In Fiorano and Paul Ricard, we discovered them [to be] 5, six seconds faster than the {old} moist, in chilly situations, as a result of the primary problem was to know if with out blankets they have been combating the warm-up.
Race begin behind the protection automobile
Photograph by: Erik Junius
“The purpose is that perhaps this efficiency continues to be not sufficient to generate the best crossover with the intermediate.”
The issue Pirelli all the time faces with moist and intermediate growth is that it depends on assessments at artificially soaked tracks.
Thus final week’s heavy rain at Spa for what was purported to be a dry check with Aston Martin and McLaren was really a really helpful alternative to collect knowledge and check out some experimental tyres.
“One of many points that we’ve is that we are able to check the moist climate tyres solely at Paul Ricard and Fiorano – two tracks with fully completely different traits in comparison with Spa, Silverstone, or different circuits,” added Isola.
“We simply found [after the Spa sprint], as a result of we had the chance to check the intermediate with a moist, that we would have liked to enhance the efficiency of the moist.
“In accordance with the information that we had from the previous, the crossover was round 115-6%, which is the best quantity for contemplating the crossover between intermediate and moist.
“That implies that with the information collected, we’ve to work on the efficiency of the moist tyres with a view to obtain the best crossover with intermediates. And that is the primary level.
The FIA has begun testing ‘sprayguards’ on F1 equipment
Photograph by: FIA
“The second level is are they security automobile tyres? We’ve mentioned many instances about visibility. Visibility is a matter.
“And clearly the FIA together with the teams are working around some devices that can improve visibility in order to reduce the spray that is coming not only from the tyres but also from the diffuser. And in the mean time we did not discover something that’s lowering visibility a lot.”
Provided that the visibility problem received’t be addressed any time quickly the only moist tyre thought begins to make sense.
“If for the long run the thought is to stick with the present state of affairs, which means if there’s numerous water on the observe, pink flag or security automobile, and they aren’t going to run due to visibility, then, in my view, the perfect answer might be to develop an intermediate tyre, let’s name it super-intermediate or intermediate-plus or no matter identify you wish to use, that’s an intermediate that’s extra in direction of a moist situation.
“So we are able to cowl with one product from the restrict that’s acceptable for visibility, to the crossover with dry situations.
“If the thought is to proceed to search for a tool that is ready to cut back the spray, and subsequently give them the likelihood to run in full moist situations, we’ve to maintain the 2 merchandise, and stick with the intermediate that we’ve now, and the brand new intermediate that’s operating with out blankets, and enhance the total moist tyre.
“But when the total moist tyre is used solely behind the protection automobile, I agree with drivers that in the mean time it is a ineffective tyre. We’ve to resolve which is the path we wish to take for the long run with a view to develop the product that’s wanted for F1.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W14, George Russell, Mercedes F1 W14, Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C43, out of the pits
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Confirming the thought of a “super-intermediate” is one thing that has been mentioned previously, Isola referred to as on the FIA, F1, the groups and drivers to “resolve what we wish” for the long run.
“We can’t cowl each path, as a result of we’ve very restricted potentialities of testing,” he mentioned. “And if we wasted time testing completely different stuff and not using a clear path, the one danger is that we do not obtain any targets.
“So we have to resolve what’s the path. Can we wish to develop a unique tread sample in a position to work in a wider situation? Okay, we deal with that and we do this. However clearly, then we aren’t engaged on enhancing the present moist tread sample.”
If the only moist tyre thought is ultimately accepted Pirelli could have numerous growth work to do. The timing implies that it can’t be readied for the beginning of 2024, nevertheless it may very well be launched in the course of the season if all events agree, and the principles are modified to permit it – which is what occurred with blanket-free wets this 12 months.
Nevertheless, there’s sure to be some resistance to in-season change, particularly as having one tyre could have a huge impact on the laws.
If the 2024 window is missed the plan will likely be pushed again to 2025 – and we nonetheless don’t know if the tyre provide contract will go to incumbent Pirelli or challenger Bridgestone.
However Pirelli does at the very least have a helpful start line for growth with a tread sample having been created when beforehand contemplating the thought, though Isola conceded it might take “two months” to create the brand new moulds earlier than testing of the development may start.
Pushing the sustainability facet of a single moist climate tyre, Isola added: “For me, it is a good suggestion if it really works, when you’ve got just one product for moist situations.
“For the time being we provide seven units of tyres, 4 intermediate and three wets. They may have seven units of the identical tread sample that they’ll use anytime in the course of the weekend. And that may very well be additionally a superb matter for sustainability.”