The FIA launches its tire tender for the 2020-2023 period
Formula 1 cars will switch to 18-inch wide tires and will no longer be able to use tire warmers starting in 2021. This is according to the new tender launched by the FIA regarding tires.
As the current four-year contract between Pirelli and Formula 1 is set to expire at the end of the 2019 season, the FIA has decided to launch its tender for the supply of tires for the following period from 2020 to 2023. Candidates for this contract must come forward before the end of August. The official decision will be announced on September 14.
Let us recall that Pirelli became the sole manufacturer for Formula 1 starting in 2011, following the end of the contract with Bridgestone.
For the year 2020, the current tire dimensions will be maintained before a significant change starting the following year. Indeed, the tires supplied from 2021 will need to have a size of 18 inches with a reduced front tire width of 270 millimeters. Additionally, the tire diameter must be between 700 and 720 millimeters. Formula 1 had actually tested wheels of this size in 2014 on the Lotus, but their characteristics were ultimately not adopted.
Regarding heated blankets, their use will be prohibited starting in 2021, but they will remain permitted for the 2020 season. This is not the first time that a ban on these blankets has been discussed, but it has never been implemented due to safety reasons. Be aware that this ban is now supported by most teams.
The FIA stated in its press release that: « The tires must provide performance safely when they are cold out of the pits. The glass transition temperature should be selected such that the rubber never reaches this state if the track temperature exceeds 10 degrees. »
In plain terms, the chosen supplier will need to design two different tire dimensions, the current dimensions for 2020 and the new ones for the 2021 to 2023 seasons. This should deter more than one manufacturer from committing to the discipline but also ensure the FIA that the candidate is serious.
The regulatory body will clarify the entire specification for these new tires at a later date. This is what it states in its press release: « The FIA will inform the supplier of the objectives regarding the sporting spectacle, which are related to degradation, durability, temperature window, or wear characteristics. The FIA reserves the right to modify these requirements once per calendar year. »
In addition to these size constraints and the ban on tire warmers, the selected manufacturer must always provide three tire compounds per weekend, namely a hard compound, a medium compound, and a soft compound. A performance gap between the different compounds will also be required. The medium compound must be 1.2 seconds faster than the hard compound, and the soft compound must be 1 second faster than the medium.
Finally, the chosen company will be required to produce soft tires that necessitate two pit stops during the race, as well as medium and hard compounds allowing for only one stop.
