F1 | Pirelli, Isola: “We are already working on the 2021 tires”

There are many challenges awaiting Pirelli in the coming years, from the new tires planned for 2019, to the regulatory changes planned for 2021 which will have a very important impact on the work that the Italian manufacturer will have to carry out to be ready for the start of the championship.

Despite the many discussions and many doubts about the direction the category will take, about the future of the cars and everything related to it, Pirelli has officially renewed its contract with Formula 1, extending the current agreement until 2023, a sign of commitment towards this sport by the Milanese tire dealer according to Mario Isola. For 2021 Liberty Media would like completely different cars, which allow for an increase in the spectacle on the track and overtaking, aspects that have been missing from the Circus in recent years according to the American giant: what is certain is that the rims will go from the current 13 inches to 18 inches, therefore a measurement closer to those of traditional cars. Isola commented: “There are many discussions about the future of Formula 1, the new cars for 2021, the change of wheels and more, I am optimistic” – said the Racing Manager of the Milanese tire company at the Autosport International Show -. “I think it's normal that there are a lot of discussions about this when you have such an important change as the renewal of the agreement between the teams and the FOM. It is a delicate situation, but we are happy to have renewed for a long-term period."

The transition to 18-inch rims and the ban on tire warmers will represent two very important challenges for Pirelli, which will have to redesign its products, guaranteeing optimal performance from the first moments despite the ban on using the classic tools designed to bring the tires into the right range of temperature before hitting the slopes. At the moment, however, there is little data to work on, because there is still no clear and well-defined regulation on what the 2021 single-seaters will be, so it is difficult for Pirelli to continue the development of its project without vital information on what the next one will be generation of cars: “We have already started designing the new tires because we cannot wait” – said Isola -. “What we can do is adapt the tires and the project we are working on to the new rules when these are outlined and available to everyone. But we need to know at least 80/90% of the expected performance with the new cars as soon as possible. Without this information it is really a big challenge. We have two years before we move to 18-inch wheels, so it's important to use the time we have well. We can't waste time, but I believe we can do well if we have the right information" concluded the Pirelli Racing Manager.