The company not only has to hone its tyres for cars that each year generate more load and produce faster lap times, but it also has to prepare for and adapt to any upcoming rule changes.
Last year for example Pirelli had a focus on developing tyres to run without blankets in 2024, only for the planned change to be abandoned.
And that in turn has had a major impact on this season. Usually Pirelli uses its testing programme to develop new tyres with the goal that they will be able to deal with the expected increase in downforce over the course of the season.
Inevitably that means that the teams then undergo a period of learning and adaptation with the latest constructions and compounds.
However that didn’t happen in 2024, as the tyres used this season are identical to those in play at the end of last year.
The previous occasion when such a scenario played out was in 2020-’21, when the COVID pandemic meant that there was no opportunity for tyre development, and it was agreed that the same tyres would be used for a second year.
Mario Isola, Racing Manager, Pirelli Motorsport
Foto di: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
This time around there were two main reasons why the tyres were unchanged between seasons.
Firstly as noted the focus of testing during 2023 was on developing tyres to run without blankets, rather than specifically on dealing with increasing loads, as is usually the main aim for testing.
However, in the summer it was decided to keep blankets for 2024, and at that stage it was too late to embark on full programme of testing for “standard” blanket tyres.
And secondly a new construction that was already in the pipeline for 2024 was fast-tracked and introduced at Silverstone in July.
It worked well, and the consensus was that it would remain effective for a season and a half, all the way to the final race of this year in Abu Dhabi.
“Usually it’s not a decision that we take, because we try to follow the development of the cars,” says Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola of the carryover tyres. “And obviously we update our construction in line with the development.
“But last year we introduced the new construction in Silverstone. The new construction was mainly what we were planning to introduce in 2024 anyway, and that’s why we decided to keep the same construction for 2024.
“The other point is about compounds. Last year we focussed our development campaign on no-blanket tyres, and then there was the…
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