Pirelli tested secret tire compounds at Suzuka, which were not very convincing
Pirelli evolves its tires year after year and brought a new medium tire (for Suzuka) this Friday, which is relatively hard within Pirelli's extended range of Formula 1 tires. The tire, designated as C2, falls between the current C2 and C3 tires (with C1 being the hardest and C5 being the softest). However, the test did not convince the drivers after analyzing the initial feedback.
Suzuka is particularly demanding on the tires with many tight corners, and where placing the car is essential for the driver to achieve a good performance.
This Friday was an opportunity for the teams to test the usual Pirelli tyres, here the hardest ones in the range, the C1, C2, and C3, but also an intermediate test tyre between the C2 mediums and the C3 soft ones. It is a tyre without treads, marked as T, by the FIA for testing.
This medium tyre, slightly softer than the C2, is called the prototype. Its purpose is to be compared to the C2 tyre for a possible introduction in the F1 championship in 2024. Therefore, Free Practice 1 and 2 were an opportunity to test this tyre for over 1300 kms, combining the tests of all the drivers.
Pirelli will take into account the feedback and comments from drivers and teams in order to assess whether the use of this tire is beneficial. Similar tests have already been carried out earlier this season for other ranges of hardness.
Simon Berra, chief engineer at Pirelli, explained that he conducted a test with a new version of a compound for 2024 and that it was important to be able to work with the teams to try to collect as much data as possible.
However, the test has nevertheless left the drivers unconvinced after analyzing the initial feedback: « According to the initial feedback, it appears that this does not bring us the potential for improvement in terms of grip that we wanted to achieve, but obviously, all this information will now have to be carefully analyzed before making a final decision. »
Regarding the Grand Prix, most strategies should favor two pit stops, considering the significant tire degradation on this track, amplified by the expected heat this weekend in Suzuka.
