F1 considering DRASTIC tyre change in damning verdict

The intermediate and full wet tyres — Photo: © LAT Images

Pirelli

F1 considering DRASTIC tyre change in damning verdict

Pirelli are weighing up adding a 'Super Intermediate' option to their range

Dan Davis

Friday 11 August 2023 23:27

Pirelli are considering adding a 'Super Intermediate' option to their range to aid drivers in attempting to find the crossover between tyres in changing conditions.

Racers have often struggled to decide which rubber to use during unpredictable weather, with full wets, intermediates and slicks currently available.

But there have also been pleas to Pirelli, the current tyre partner of Formula 1, to improve the quality of their full wets and are drivers reluctant to deploy them.

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Indeed, the blue-rimmed rubber has effectively been sidelined and new rain tyres made their debut at the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this year.

The drama at Spa further underlined the need for change, with the grid quickly ditching their full wets in favour of inters after the safety car returned to the pits.

As a result, Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola believes an alternative option, one that would sit between the current full wets and intermediates, would help.

Drivers are reluctant to deploy the full wet tyres and have called for improvement

New tyre 'best solution'

He said: "If the idea is to stay with the current situation, which means if there is a lot of water on track they red flag or safety car because they are not going to run because of visibility, the best solution is probably to develop an Intermediate tyre.

"Let's call it 'Super Intermediate' or an 'Intermediate+' or whatever name you want to use. So we can cover - with one product - from the limit that is acceptable for visibility to the crossover with dry conditions."

Isola plans to pitch the concept to teams in due course but the new tyre, if approved, would not be introduced until at least 2024.

To begin with, teams will have to give the green light, allowing development and in-depth testing to then take place.