Pirelli began its first tyre testing after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in two sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. And four racing teams stayed back in Imola to assist F1\’s sole tyre supplier in testing their 2023 tyre prototypes. As per the revised regulations, the racing teams are allowed to run their 2022 cars. However, they are obligated to follow the run plan provided by Pirelli.
After extensive testing last year, the Italian manufacturer introduced their latest 18-inch wheels for the 2022 championship. The tests were run by the old cars from nine teams, whose older chassis had to be adjusted to fit the bigger tyres. Moreover, Pirelli has already started to work on planning their 2023 tyre compounds in Imola, with the new cars having the right specification to run the tyre.
Alpine, AlphaTauri, and Alfa Romeo were a part of the tyre testing on Tuesday. Later, Ferrari replaced Alpine during Wednesday\’s testing session. Pirelli is still trying to figure out its in-season testing program around a jam-packed 2022 calendar with 23 races. The tyre tests will allow the racing teams equal opportunities to spend more time on the track and understand their cars better. As per the reports, Pirelli has secured 18 test days for F1 teams to gather more data on the new tyres and figure out a way to improve them. The testing will be divided into nine teams, with Hass not participating. The tyre manufacturer has scheduled the upcoming tests after the Grand Prix races in Austria, Hungary, and Italy, including one-day testing with Red Bull in Monza.
Esteban Ocon Reveals The Benefits Of Testing For Racing teams:
Alpine\’s driver Esteban Ocon told that having a testing day so early in the season would benefit the teams. Ocon revealed that his 122 laps on Tuesday were trouble-free. The testing will help the teams understand their cars better and provide more practice early in the season. Meanwhile, AlphaTauri\’ Pierre Gasly also took a 122-lap run. Alfa Romeo\’s drivers involved in the testing were Zhou Guanya on Tuesday, and the team\’s reserve Robert Kubica replaced him on Wednesday.
Ferrari also stayed back in Imola and replaced Alpine on Wednesday. Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were a part of Pirelli\’s testing. However, Carlos Sainz\’s run was cut short due to an issue, and he was forced to return to the pits. Yuki Tsunoda also participated in the testing for Alpha Tauri. Now, Pirelli will have its next tyre testing on June 24 at Mugello. Other teams will get the opportunity to run their cars without pressure from Friday\’s qualification or Saturday\’s Sprint.