Pirelli will add more ‘spice’ to Formula 1 in 2011: Pedro de la Rosa
Pirelli’s official test driver Pedro de la Rosa tested the new Pirelli tyres in wet conditions during the night at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi recently.
After testing the tyres extensively, the Spanish driver is confident that Pirelli will take Formula 1 to a higher level in 2011.
“The races will be more interesting, because they have designed a tyre for the show - especially the super soft which is very fast but also has a very big degradation,” he told the media.
Since Bridgestone tyres will not be used anymore in Formula 1 as the tyre suppliers left the sport after the 2010 Formula 1 season came to an end, Pirelli stepped up and took the role as Formula 1’s lone tyre suppliers.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) stated that they only wanted a lone tyre supplying company in the sport to avoid conflicts. Michelin and Goodyear were interested only if the FIA allowed two tyre suppliers for the 2011 Formula 1 season, but
the sport’s governing body was not interested in that solution and hence, Pirelli was given the contract.
The Bridgestone tyres of 2010 were more hard and long lasting because of which most of the teams opted for a single pit stop strategy for the whole race. Pirelli on the other hand, wants to make racing more interesting and as a result, their tyres are not
going to be as long lasting as the Bridgestones were. According to Pedro, Pirelli tyres are reliable and efficient in every way and the teams will opt for 2 or 3 pit stops per race.
However, Pedro played down the speculation that the new tyres combined with Kinetic Energy Recovery System and adjustable rear wings will make qualifying session less important than before.
“Of course, it is true that the difference between the first and the second choice of compounds is very large. So those who start further back than eleventh will have a chance to fight for points because the harder tyre will last much longer than the soft.
But that's only speculation,” said Pedro.
The teams are expected to get their hands on the new tyre compound on 1 February, 2011 in Valencia for the first time and it would be interesting to see what the top running drivers have to say about the new tyres.
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