Concerns raised over F1 pre-season conditions

Pirelli's head of motorsport Mario Isola admits that Formula 1's tyre provider is concerned about the weather forecasts three weeks out from the first pre-season test. The first test a year ago was ruined by weather, with an entire day rendered effectively useless by snow.

With cold weather once again sweeping into western Europe, a repeat will spell trouble for the teams and Pirelli alike, with new tyre compounds and new aerodynamic regulations to get to grips with.

"Until [early] January it was like it was spring [in Barcelona], but now it is much colder there and we know what happened last year," Isola told the German branch of Motorsport.

"We have some worries because we are one week earlier this year than 2018. But you never know – we've had excellent weather at the beginning of February, but sometimes even the deepest winter."

Isola admits that testing in Barcelona is rarely ideal for Pirelli as the wintry weather conditions are unlikely to be replicated at a race once the season commences, but does not expect a change any time soon.

He said: "Temperatures are close to freezing [during testing], but at lunchtime it's usually comfortably warm, and I'm confident the teams will use this window of opportunity to devote to tyre work.

"For this [to learn more about the tyres], we need representative weather.

"For the teams, the starting point is a bit different because they have to develop their new cars, with the priority of putting in as many kilometres as possible, as close as possible to the respective team headquarters.

"So if you need new parts then you can send them to Barcelona pretty easily."

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