Isola: 18-inch wheel testing will be difficult amid uncertain regulations

  • Published on 18 Feb 2019 15:50
  • comments 1
  • By: Fergal Walsh

Pirelli's head of motorsport Mario Isola says that testing 18-inch wheels for 2021 will be difficult as teams are not aware of the car regulations for the season.

Formula 1 is set to see the introduction of new engine and aerodynamic regulations in 2021, however teams have not been made fully aware of what these changes will entail. 

Renault's F1 president Jerome Stoll recently stated that he would be soon meeting with Liberty Media CEO Chase Carey to discuss the progress made on the new rules. But with Pirelli keen to start testing its brand new tyres that will be introduced in two years' time, Isola says that for now, it looks like a difficult task ahead.

"We are now focused on the development for 2020, we will soon announce the test plan for 2019 in order to develop tyres for 2020," Isola told GPToday.net in Barcelona.

"We decided to have a concentrated development test for 2020 until the beginning of September, so we are planning to finish the developments for 2020 at the beginning of September as we would like to move onto 18-inch tyre testing from end of September onwards.

"The discussion on new cars to fit the bigger tyres and how to allocate the test sessions is ongoing with the FIA and the teams because we have an issue that the 2021 regulations are not defined yet. That means it's difficult for new teams to supply mule cars if they don't what performance is expected for 2021."

For the upcoming season, Pirelli has revised how it will identify its tyres while also stripping its range from seven dry compounds to five. It will also use the same colour coding each weekend, regardless of the compound.

"We have homologated five compounds and we will select compounds in accordance with the track layout, so the usual system so when you see white tyres, its the hardest of the three, yellow is the one in the middle and red is the softest," Isola stated.

"We have a new construction, it's designed to try and manage better the heat that is going into the tyre we did this with new materials in the construction, new materials in the compounds that are deisned with this target in mind and also with a reduced thread that we introduced last year at two races."

Replies (1)

Login to reply
  • Am I the only that doesn't really dig those 18-inch wheels? I hate being that angry old fan that always whines about "How good F1 was back when [fill in the blank]. But I honestly don't understand this change. I understand it even less than the halo. Is anyone reading this comment thinking that the cars will look better with those wheels? Maybe I'm one of the few that doesn't quite see it.

    • + 0
    • Feb 19 2019 - 05:15

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
-
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
-
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team -
  • Points -
  • Podiums -
  • Grand Prix -
  • Country GB
  • Date of b. Nov 22 1953 (71)
  • Place of b. Ireland, GB
  • Weight 0 kg
  • Length 0 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar