Pirelli is already preparing its 18-inch tires for 2022
The F1 manufacturer has just completed three productive days of testing at the Bahrain circuit.
The 2021 season has just begun but 2022 is already in Pirelli’s sights!
No more 13 inches, the F1 manufacturer is preparing its new range of 18-inch tires, to be used from next season, and already mounted in F2 since the beginning of the 2020 season.
After testing on the Jerez circuit at the end of February, Pirelli used the Sakhir international circuit for three days of private testing, from Tuesday, March 30 to Thursday, April 1.
Two teams shared the driving sessions: Ferrari on the first day, Alpine on the second and third day.
385 laps for Pirelli in three days!
As in Jerez at the end of February, Ferrari continued testing the 2022 tires, first with Carlos Sainz behind the wheel (on Tuesday morning), then Charles Leclerc (on Tuesday afternoon).
The French Alpine team discovered the new tire on Wednesday and Thursday. Esteban Ocon and then Fernando Alonso took the wheel of a 2018 single-seater. As a reminder, the regulations prohibit private tests with cars from the current season. Teams run with cars that are at least 2 years old. Hence the choice of Alpine, with a former Renault F1 RS 18.
In total, the French team completed 244 laps in two days: 100 laps on Wednesday for Esteban Ocon and 144 laps this Thursday, April 1st, with Fernando Alonso.
On its side, Ferrari completed 141 laps: 54 on Tuesday morning for Carlos Sainz (using 7 different sets of tires) and 87 for Charles Leclerc on Tuesday afternoon. That’s a total of 385 laps for Pirelli over three days, equivalent to the duration of 6 and a half Bahrain Grand Prix races, which had 57 laps for the first race of the 2021 season (56 in the end after the second start following the Red Bull of Perez stopping).
Mystery about the chronometers
The tests were mainly carried out during the day on the Sakhir circuit, with temperatures around 40 degrees on the track. Mystery, however, surrounds the lap times, as the times achieved by the drivers are unknown.
The key for teams is mainly to familiarize themselves with the new, wider tires compared to those of 2021. The Renault-Alpine in the picture has a very low rear wing, in an attempt to replicate the downforce levels of next year’s cars.
Fernando Alonso’s return is in any case very good:
(e) It is an important stage of development. It was a very good testing day. The new tires already look very good. It was a busy day for the team and Pirelli, with a lot of useful information. »
Fernando Alonso: « the new tires already look very good. »
As the new aero regulations, the new Pirelli tires were planned for this season. They have been postponed to 2022 because of the health crisis.
The complete upcoming schedule of Pirelli tests
| Circuit | Date | Pneus sec (slick) /pluie (wet) | Team | |
| 1 | Imola | Mardi 20 & Mercredi 21 Avril | Sec (slick) | Mercedes |
| 2 | Barcelone | Mardi 11 & Mercredi 12 Mai | Sec (slick) | Alpine + Red Bull & Alfa Romeo (mardi après-midi, mercredi) |
| 3 | Paul Ricard | Mardi 25 & Mercredi 26 Mai | Pluie (wet) | Mercedes |
| 4 | Spielberg / Red Bull Ring | Mardi 6 & Mercredi 7 Juillet | Sec (slick) | AlphaTauri |
| 5 | Silverstone | Mardi 20 & Mercredi 21 Juillet | Sec (slick) | Red Bull (mardi) + Aston Martin & Haas (mardi & mercredi) |
| 6 | Budapest | Mardi 3 & Mercredi 4 Août | Sec (slick) | Mercedes & McLaren (mardi) + Ferrari & McLaren (mercredi) |
| 7 | Magny-Cours | Mercredi 15 & Jeudi 16 Septembre | Pluie (wet) | Alpine |
