Pirelli continues to move forward with the development of the 18-inch tires that will arrive in 2022, in conjunction with the new technical regulations. Sebastian Vettel has offered some clues to his behavior.
Pirelli’s schedule for developing the new 18-inch tires involved teams from Formula 1 And, although some like Williams and Mercedes have declined to participate in any or all of the test sessions, the Italian brand is enjoying a considerable number of kilometers and data with which to refine its work for 2022.
One of the teams that has already ridden with the new tires is Aston Martin, which together with Sebastian vettel it rolled at Silverstone after the July Grand Prix. The German driver gave his first impressions on the matter, highlighting some positive points and others not so hopeful.
Better rhythm for longer
Perhaps the key to everything is that the 18-inch tires seem to solve what has been the main weak point of Pirelli in recent years: the tendency to overheat that prevents drivers from rolling to the limit for too many laps.
“You can drive longer to the limit with these tires, without overheating,” confirmed Sebastian Vettel. «They are more comfortable on pianos and offer more grip in slow and medium-fast corners. I felt faster on these stages than with conventional tires, “he said.
In return, the larger diameter of the tires in 2022 makes visibility even worse than today, so teams will have to rethink the position of the mirrors, among other things.
“The big wheels make the front view even worse. The mirror mounts are annoying, it was better when they were attached to the Halo. With the tires and big wheels, you can’t see the pianos anymore »Vettel explained.
It remains to be seen how these tires adapt to the new 2022 cars, as the tests are being carried out with current cars adapted to the expected load levels for next year.