Pirelli Motorsport has decided that a new 'tougher' tyre construction is needed for F1 cars racing at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone this weekend.
Following an initial test in June at the Spanish Grand Prix, the tyre manufacturer has decided that a more robust construction is needed for its tyres allocated for F1 as the newer generation cars carry much higher cornering speeds.
In only the second season of the new aerodynamic regulations, the racing machines were found to be putting the tyres through increased speed and loadings and action has been taken to address this factor of the sport.
Mario Isola, the Motorsport Director at Pirelli, claimed the newer construction of the tyres won't affect their on-track behaviour. "The British Grand Prix will mark the debut of a new slick tyre construction, using materials that have been brought forward from their anticipated introduction next year," he said.
“This change in specification was made necessary due to the increased performance of the cars seen since the start of the season – both in terms of outright speed and loadings – compared to the pre-season simulation data supplied to Pirelli by the teams last winter, and the fact that this trend is only set to increase as the championship goes on," he added.
“The new specification gives the tyre extra resistance against fatigue but does not affect any technical parameters or its behaviour on track. All the teams already had the opportunity to try the new tyre construction out at the Spanish Grand Prix, when two sets were put at the disposal of each driver in free practice," he stated.
“However, the current C1 is in fact a brand new compound for this year, which fits in between the C2 and the C0: our new name for the hardest compound in the 2022 range.”