The beginning of the Saturday sprint race at Spa was postponed due to rain. Once it finally started, the cars drove behind the safety car on full wet tires, as required by the regulations, before they were allowed to proceed.
Half the cars then came straight in for intermediates, with the rest following suit at the end of the first flying lap. It was only double stacking and pitlane traffic considerations that stopped everyone from coming in straight away.
Afterwards, drivers were prompt in highlighting that the wet tyre is deemed “useless,” as stated by GPDA director George Russell. The Spa race once again showcased the catch-22 situation where if it rains heavily and the wet tyre is necessary, poor visibility hinders the cars from reaching racing speeds.
Pirelli was encouraged by the discussion to propose an idea they had been considering for some time. They suggested getting rid of the full wet tires and replacing them with a single “super intermediate” tire that would be suitable for all wet conditions. This would enable drivers to transition seamlessly from safety car conditions to racing using the same tire.
During its time in the sport, Pirelli has had to dedicate significant resources to the development of wet and intermediate tires. A notable advancement has been the introduction of blanket-free wet tires, which were first used in Monaco and will be followed by the inclusion of intermediates in 2024.
“I think our first priority is to address two separate issues,” stated Mario Isola, the boss of Pirelli F1. “The first issue is the performance of the wet tires, and the second is the visibility. Regarding performance, I can confirm that during the development of the new tires without blankets, we achieved significantly improved results compared to the previous wet tires.”
“We may not have achieved a significant improvement, but we have taken a small step forward. During our tests at Fiorano and Paul Ricard, we observed that the new wet tires were approximately five to six seconds faster in cold conditions compared to the previous version. Our main concern was to determine whether the tires faced difficulties with warming up when not using tire blankets.”
The race will commence with the safety car leading the way.
Photo by: Erik Junius
Perhaps, the main idea is that this particular performance may still not be sufficient to create the appropriate crossover with the intermediate stage.
Pirelli consistently encounters a challenge when it comes to developing wet and intermediate tires, as it heavily depends on conducting tests on tracks that have been artificially soaked.
Last week’s unexpected rainfall at Spa during the supposed dry test with Aston Martin and McLaren proved to be a valuable chance to collect data and experiment with different types of tires.
Isola stated that one challenge we face is the limited opportunity to test wet weather tires at Paul Ricard and Fiorano, which have distinct characteristics in comparison to Spa, Silverstone, and other tracks.
“After the Spa sprint, we made a new observation that highlighted the need for enhancing the wet performance, as we had the chance to compare it with the intermediate.”
Based on historical data, the crossover point between intermediate and wet conditions was approximately 115-6%, which is the appropriate threshold to determine the transition.
“That means that with the data collected, we have to work on the performance of the wet tyres in order to achieve the right crossover with intermediates. And that’s the first point.
The FIA has initiated the testing of ‘sprayguards’ on F1 vehicles.
Photo by: FIA
“The second point is are they safety car tyres? We have discussed many times about visibility. Visibility is an issue.
“The FIA and the teams are actively collaborating on developing devices to enhance visibility and minimize the spray caused by both the tires and the diffuser. However, currently, no effective solution has been discovered to significantly reduce the impact on visibility.”
Since the visibility problem will not be resolved in the near future, the concept of using a single wet tire begins to seem logical.
If the plan going forward is to maintain the current circumstances, which involves halting the race due to excessive water on the track, resulting in poor visibility, then in my view, the most suitable approach would be to create a new type of tire. We could refer to it as a super-intermediate or intermediate-plus tire, or any other name of your preference. This tire would be designed to offer better performance in wet conditions while still being classified as an intermediate tire.
“So we can cover with one product from the limit that is acceptable for visibility, to the crossover with dry conditions.
“If the objective is to find a device that can minimize the spray, enabling them to race in heavy rain, we need to retain both the current intermediate tire and the new intermediate tire without blankets, while also enhancing the performance of the full wet tire.”
“If the full wet tyre is solely utilized when the safety car is present, I concur with the drivers that it currently holds no value. We must determine the path we wish to pursue in order to enhance the product required for F1.”
Lewis Hamilton, driving the Mercedes F1 W14, George Russell, also in the Mercedes F1 W14, and Valtteri Bottas, piloting the Alfa Romeo C43, exiting the pit lane.
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Confirming the idea of a “super-intermediate” is something that has been discussed in the past, Isola called on the FIA, F1, the teams and drivers to “decide what we want” for the future.
“I am unable to reword this text.”
“We must determine the course of action. Should we create a new tread design that can function in a broader range of conditions? If so, let’s concentrate on that. However, it is important to note that this means we will not be dedicating efforts to enhance the existing wet tread pattern.”
If the concept of using only one wet tire is ultimately accepted, Pirelli will need to undertake extensive development efforts. Due to time constraints, it will not be prepared for the beginning of 2024. However, if all parties agree and the regulations are modified to permit it, it could be implemented during the season, similar to what occurred with the introduction of blanket-free wets this year.
There is likely to be opposition to making changes during the season, particularly because having only one type of tire will greatly affect the rules.
If the deadline of 2024 is not met, the schedule will be postponed to 2025 – and it is still uncertain whether the tire supply agreement will be awarded to the current provider Pirelli or the competitor Bridgestone.
Pirelli does have a helpful starting point for development as they already have a tread pattern that was previously designed. However, Isola admitted that it would require “two months” to create the necessary molds before testing the construction could commence.
Isola emphasized the sustainability feature of a sole wet weather tire.“For me, it’s a good idea if it works, if you have only one product for wet conditions.
Currently, we provide a total of seven sets of tires, consisting of four sets of intermediate tires and three sets of wet tires. These sets will all have the same tread pattern, and the drivers can utilize them at any point throughout the weekend. Additionally, this aspect could also be an interesting subject to discuss in terms of sustainability.
Leave a Reply