Image by Mauger/LAT
F1 teams unanimously reject 2020 Pirellis in favor of 2019 tires
All 10 Formula 1 teams voted to keep the 2019 Pirelli tires next season rather than accept the 2020 compounds that were tested in Abu Dhabi.
Two days of tire testing took place at the Yas Marina Circuit last week for teams to get data on the 2020 compounds ahead of the planned compound selection for the opening races of next season. However, after initial running in Austin – albeit in cold conditions – led to poor feedback, Pirelli was open to sticking with the current tires next year.
The FIA has now confirmed the 2019 tires will remain in use, with the teams all voting for a change from the homologated 2020 compounds.
“After having tested and analyzed new specification tires for 2020, a vote for the specification of the tires for the 2020 season was carried out according to Article 12.6.1 of the technical regulations,” an FIA statement read. “The vote resulted in a unanimous decision to keep the 2019 specification tires for the 2020 season by the Formula 1 teams.
“The FIA would like to thank both Pirelli and all the teams for their work and collaboration to improve the tires for the 2020 season and beyond. In any case, the lessons learnt will be invaluable for the further improvement of the tires in the future.”
One team source told RACER that the 2020 compounds were markedly slower than their predecessors and offered a poor balance that would not have helped the racing spectacle next season.
Pirelli is already working on the 2021 tires given the major change in technical regulations, with 18-inch wheels being tested by George Russell and Mercedes in Abu Dhabi at the start of this week.
Chris Medland
While studying Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, Chris managed to talk his way into working at the British Grand Prix in 2008 and was retained for three years before joining ESPN F1 as Assistant Editor. After three further years at ESPN, a spell as F1 Editor at Crash Media Group was followed by the major task of launching F1i.com’s English-language website and running it as Editor. Present at every race since the start of 2014, he has continued building his freelance portfolio, working with international titles. As well as writing for RACER, his broadcast work includes television appearances on F1 TV and as a presenter and reporter on North America's live radio coverage on SiriusXM.
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