Pirelli presents the 18-inch tires in F1
Pirelli will test 18-inch tires for the first time during the private F1 tests at Silverstone this Wednesday if weather conditions permit. The manufacturer has unveiled the first images of these wheels.
Pirelli has been advocating since its return to the premier category to increase the diameter of the tires. The manufacturer will test its new tires, which are still just a project for the moment, on E22.
The head of research and development at Pirelli, Maurizio Boiocchi, explains to Autosport: « The tires you will see are primarily designed to showcase aesthetics rather than performance. »
The Italian manufacturer believes that the larger diameter will bring them closer to production cars, improving performance and safety. The tires that will be tested tomorrow will not allow them to see the exact potential of this type of diameter, but they will still help in better understanding and comprehending the ongoing development.
The goal of Pirelli this Wednesday is mainly to show decision-makers the visual effect of such an evolution; in the long term, the manufacturer would even like a larger range: “We thought it would be useful to create, for the F1 Commission and the Strategy Group, images of a current F1 with 18-inch tires,” stated Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director. “The 18-inch tire is one solution, but going further, I think that 19 or even 20-inch tires are the direction we want to take.”
