Pirelli will be testing new 18-inch tyres at Silverstone next week as a follow-up of earlier discussions about change in size of tyres for F1 in 2017.
Currently Grand Prix cars use 13-inch tyres but Pirelli is looking to “demonstrate an 18-inch design to showcase the way that Formula One could look in the near future”.
“Larger wheel and tyre sizes reflect modern market trends,” Pirelli said “With the adoption of a larger size invariably leading to even greater technology transfer between Formula One tyres and road car tyres.”
Pirelli’s head of R&D Maurizio Boiocchi revealed that the tyre used in next week’s demo have been designed by keeping aesthetics in mind and not performance. Boiocchi added that the tyres will achieve production-ready status if need be within months.
“In the meantime, we look forward to hearing everybody’s views about our latest concept and we hope that people enjoy seeing something out on track that is a little different”, added Boiocchi.
Pirelli also said that the 18-inch tyres will have technical challenges, particularly relating to the car’s suspension, and smaller sidewalls would also lead to reduced space for their own branding.
Paul Hembery motorsport director of the company said that there are many other motorsport series that have already used the bigger tyre and wheels and there is a scope to go even bigger in the Formula One in the upcoming years.
“We have been working particularly on the tread area because we see an area where perhaps we have a concentration of heat build-up. So we want to try to change what is going on in the centre of the tyre” Hembery added.
