Pirelli have confirmed that a tyre performance cliff has been engineered into Formula One tyres for the 2016 season.
The P Zero tyres will be constructed with an inner layer of rubber which will offer less performance than the outside compound. Wearing the tyre down to the inner layer will cause lap times to fall off the cliff, jamesallenonf1.com explains.
The construction method was used from Pirelli’s entrance in 2011 but rethought during the 2013 season as cars suffered dangerous high-speed blowouts. In 2014, more durable rubber was introduced to cope with the new generation of high-torque power units.
The change, intended to spice up the strategy element of racing, may demand more tyre management from drivers to meet stint lengths – leading to concern for a lack of wheel-to-wheel action which is so popular among fans.
Bernie Ecclestone backed the decision, saying: “The bottom line is Pirelli supply the tyres in F1, they are the tyres we should use and the teams and drivers should work with Pirelli to perfect the tyres.”
Pirelli are also working to create live tyre TV graphics to simplify the new tyre regulations.
“I think it’s useful also for the media to know exactly which is the situation and the strategy. With the new regulations they have not only three compounds but [also] the ability to choose 10 sets, so I hope we are going to see different strategies and more interesting races,” explained the tyre maker’s racing manager, Mario Isola.
“To do that, you obviously need the information and you need to know which tyre each driver has available in the garage – and we are working together with FOM to provide this information.”
