Paul Hembery says Pirelli tyres are receiving praises from all around in 2011 Formula 1 season
Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery has said that their tyres have changed the mood of the 2011 Formula 1 season.
Paul said that Pirelli was criticised before the season but four races into the season, the appreciation was flowing in from all corners.
Paul stated, “Before the season started everybody was a bit nervous because change isn’t always liked, but after the first few races the feedback from the public is great. It is different, but it’s the same for everybody. So far so good.”
He further added that the spectators and drivers are also giving positive feedback about the high degradation rate of the Pirelli tyres.
So far, the response from the Pirelli tyres has been enormous because the first four races of the 2011 season have seen quite a number of overtaking manoeuvres. Hembery said that the Formula 1 organisers demanded some interesting races in the 2011 season
and Pirelli stepped up to the cause.
After the 2010 season woes, Bridgestone tyres were replaced by the high degrading Pirelli tyres. Paul said that the company and the drivers are on the learning curve about the Pirelli tyres because different behaviours were seen on different tracks. The
Turkish Grand Prix saw more than 80 pit stops which is a world record.
Paul said that the company only had seven to eight months to prepare for the task, which it did in remarkable fashion.
He said, “Time is obviously the major one. We had eight months to build a factory, create a logistics team and hire all the engineers. You couldn’t afford to have many failures in the system and we are still learning that every circuit is different.”
Paul also added that the drivers are adapting to the tyres and changing their driving styles to match the degradation of the tyres.
Commenting on the one pit-stop strategy of Sauber driver Sergio Perez in the Australian Grand Prix, Paul said that it was an exception and will be rare because three stops will be essential.
The admiration and praises continue for the Pirelli tyres as the fifth race of the 2011 Formula 1 season takes place on May 22 in Spain.
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