Pirelli unveils 2017 F1 tyres, Ferrari/Red Bull/Mercedes to test
Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull are set to be the first teams to run Pirelli's 2017-spec Formula 1 tyres - unveiled in Monaco - when testing begins in August
Pirelli offered a first glimpse of the 2017 tyres when it unveiled a prototype of the rubber on a showcar in the Monaco paddock on Saturday.
The tyres are 25 per cent wider than the current designs overall, with a 60mm increase to 305mm at the front and a 80mm jump to 405mm at the rear.
Pirelli has also adjusted the shape to increase the contact patch and provide more mechanical grip.
The Italian manufacturer has been using pre-2015 cars to do conceptual work on current-sized tyres.
It will run its 2017 prototypes for the first time in August once the teams have supplied a '15 car for modification so it can simulate next year's downforce levels.
Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull are in a position to do so but it is not yet clear whether something can be fixed in time for the other two teams that previously offered to assist Pirelli - Williams and Force India - to take part initially.
"The time is the big challenge because we have little time to develop not only the new construction but all the compounds," said Pirelli racing manager Mario Isola.
"We will start soon to test on track with teams that are able to provide 2015 modified car - Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull.
"We have already started to make our calculation on models and indoor testing on prototypes."
Isola said Pirelli is working towards five compounds for next season but that could change as development progresses.
"The plan at the moment is to stay with five compounds but we will see what happens with development," he said.
"If the regulation stays as it is with three compounds for each race we have to consider if five is the right number or if we need to increase or not."
Teams received the first model of the 2017 size nearly two months ago, but it was just a simple prototype so they could start making calculations.
The plan is to begin 2017 tyre testing in August with further tests planned for between the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix.
Pirelli is hopeful it can test in Abu Dhabi at the end of the year because it will provide favourable conditions.
It hopes to have the final spec of tyre completed by November.
FIA picks halo over aeroscreen for 2017 Formula 1 cockpit device
Renault used just three tokens on F1 engine upgrade for Monaco GP
How Browning saw off GB3's Super Swede in a season of respect
A move into the GB3 Championship for 2022 put all eyes on 2020 British F4 champion Luke Browning. On his return to competition in the UK, following a season in German F4, the Hitech GP driver lived up to expectations to see off the challenge of rising Swedish star Joel Granfors
Red Bull move offers Ricciardo best chance of instant F1 comeback - Brown
Daniel Ricciardo has the chance to turn his Formula 1 career around "on a dime" after taking up a Red Bull third driver role, reckons former boss Zak Brown.
IMSA teams playing "cat and mouse game" in combined LMDh tests
Cadillac driver Sebastien Bourdais feels LMDh manufacturers are playing a “cat and mouse game” in testing for the 2023 IMSA SportsCar Championship as they attempt to understand their respective strengths.
PHM Racing to take over Charouz F2 and F3 entries
PHM Racing will take over Charouz Racing System's entries and assets in FIA Formula 2 and 3 from 2023.
The physical focus bringing out the best of an F1 midfield star
Esteban Ocon likes to point out he’s the first driver since Lewis Hamilton to emerge from a spell as Fernando Alonso’s team-mate with a superior overall points record. While some may disagree, as LUKE SMITH discovered, the 2021 Hungarian GP winner reckons it’s not just luck which has made him France’s pre-eminent Formula 1 driver of the moment…
How Red Bull's dynamic leader shaped its F1 philosophy
The death of Dietrich Mateschitz last month has not only deprived Red Bull of its visionary founder, it has shorn Formula 1 of one of its most influential benefactors. Mateschitz himself was famously media-shy, preferring to let the brand do the talking on his behalf. And, while it’s now normal to speak of Red Bull F1 titles and champions made, Mateschitz never assumed it would be easy or even possible – as ANTHONY ROWLINSON discovered during this previously unpublished interview from 2006…
Can Mercedes break Formula 1's cycle of doom?
OPINION: Teams that have dominated for long periods throughout Formula 1's history often take years to get back to the top of the tree once they've slipped down. But it remains to be seen whether the same will happen to Mercedes after a challenging 2022 season
What hurt Perez most in his ill-fated fight for second in Abu Dhabi
Arguably the favourite in the battle to finish second best in 2022's Formula 1 standings, Sergio Perez's two-stop strategy at Abu Dhabi couldn't take him ahead of Charles Leclerc when the music stopped - and several key factors ultimately precluded him from the much-coveted runner-up spot
The Abu Dhabi momentum that can propel Leclerc and Ferrari to F1 2023 success
OPINION: Charles Leclerc achieved his target of sealing runner-up in the 2022 world championship with a masterful drive behind Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi. And that race contained key elements that may help him, and Ferrari, go one better in Formula 1 2023
How Verstappen's record-breaking 2022 season compares to the F1 greats
The 2022 Formula 1 season will be remembered as a record book rewriting Max Verstappen masterclass, a completely different challenge to his maiden world championship last year, and a clear sign he is still raising his own level. But where does it stack up against the all-time great F1 campaigns?
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Driver Ratings
The 2022 Formula 1 season came to a close at the Yas Marina Circuit, where the battle for second in the standings was decided, the wins in a season record extended and a retiring four-time world champion bowed out on a high. Here's how we rated the drivers
The factors that stopped Perez catching Leclerc in Verstappen's Abu Dhabi triumph
Max Verstappen ended the 2022 Formula 1 season in fitting fashion with a dominant drive to victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. But behind him, early season rival Charles Leclerc achieved his target of securing the runner-up spot with a well-executed a one-stop strategy to beat Sergio Perez, whose pursuit on a two-stop strategy was hampered by several critical factors