Pirelli drop the hard tyre

[Brogan]

Some news which will please Ferrari, Pirelly are dropping the hard tyre as they claim the medium is more than durable enough for all the circuits.

Additionally, they're creating a new compound which will sit between the current medium and soft compounds for next next year.

So in effect, next year the current medium will become the hard and there will be a new medium.

This will reduce the time difference between 2 adjacent compounds, so that aspect of the strategy and racing, which has been so significant this year, will be lost.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93680

 

[Quintessentially]

This will only invite accusations of Ferrari favouritism even if it is not entirely true. I think it is about time FIA and FOTA established some form of control over Pirelli's development strategy. I suggest they declare tyre compounds at the start of the season and stick with them. They should not be allowed to introduce or alter compounds in the middle of the season.

Off topic - Goodwood festival of speed on ITV4 now

 

[Galahad]

I think, to be fair to Pirelli, they are being expected to take appropriate tyres to circuits on which they have never raced or tested before this season. Not only that, but unlike in the old days it isn't enough for them to make them durable - they have to fulfil the FIA's brief of making them not too durable (but not too fragile either). It's a difficult job that they have made look much easier than I believe it actually is.

It is a shame about narrowing the performance gaps though. It's as well for them to announce this early, as teams will be designing their cars for next year around the lessons they've learned.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Big gaps in tire performance do not always produce scintillating strategy calls though. Sometimes we see farcical situations where teams will pit on the last lap to avoid having to run on what they perceive to be a tire that is just "too slow".

 

[teabagyokel]

Big gaps in tire performance do not always produce scintillating strategy calls though. Sometimes we see farcical situations where teams will pit on the last lap to avoid having to run on what they perceive to be a tire that is just "too slow".

Of course, at the Nurburgring the teams attempted to do that, especially Ferrari, only to find out that it was the wrong call and Lewis won the race going early.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Of course, at the Nurburgring the teams attempted to do that, especially Ferrari, only to find out that it was the wrong call and Lewis won the race going early.

It was the wrong call as far as staying ahead of Vettel. It was completely inconsequential when it came to beating Lewis.

My overall point is that I don't care what tires are brought to any particular meeting. Everybody's in the same boat.

 

[Slyboogy]

I think it's good they dropped the hard tyre, it was a terrible compound, especially early on in the season, about 2s slower and last 5-8 laps more than the soft tyre, not much benefit of using it, teams would just put the soft tyres on for all of the stints then near the end bang on the the hard tyre.

Now we might see split strategies...

Then again, 3-4 stop seems to be the norm along with the faster tyre on for the first 3 stints.