F1, Vettel will be the first to test the 2017 tires at Fiorano

It will be Sebastian Vettel who will make his debut on August 1st Fiorano circuit the new experimental rain tires in the 2017 version which, for the first time, will have the official measurements of what will be next season's tyres. Until now, in fact, for its tests with Ferrari and Red Bull in Fiorano and Vallelunga, Pirelli had brought experimental tires with new compounds in anticipation of 2017 which, however, had the same dimensions as the current tires used during the race weekend.

On the Fiorano circuit, which will be artificially wetted for the occasion, the German from Ferrari will run with a modified SF15-T, in order to be able to obtain the same aerodynamic load values ​​that there will be in 2017 with the new technical regulation. The tires that Sebastian will try will be the larger ones: the front tire will grow in width by 60 mm, going from 245 to 305 millimetres, while the rear one will be larger by 80 millimetres, going from 325 to 405 millimetres. An important increase, which should help to have greater mechanical grip.

The tests will take place next Monday and Tuesday, immediately after the German Grand Prix: as mentioned, Sebastian Vettel will be there on the first day of testing, while on the second day Esteban Gutierrez, already third driver of the Red team, will be present at the wheel of the SF15-T last season.

After testing the rain tyres, Pirelli will move to Mugello on August 3 and 4 where, together with Red Bull, the 2017 tires but in slick version: same sizes as the rain and intermediate tires but, obviously, without the block. There should be Sebastian Buemi, tester of the Anglo-Austrian team, or Daniel Ricciardo trying them.

Further tests to test the 2017 tires will then resume in September, with Ferrari and Mercedes running on the Barcelona circuit, to then conclude at the end of November with the last test in Abu Dhabi, in which all three teams that have joined the tests will participate. Pirelli test for tire development.

Gianluca D'Alessandro