Pirelli unveils 2017 F1 tyre

[afx]

Pirelli has offered the first glimpse of Formula One's new look in 2017 after taking the wraps off its wider tyres for next season.

The final compounds and structures are still under development, but in order to give an impression of what the new tyres will look like Pirelli unveiled a show car fitted with the new dimensions in the paddock at Monaco.

The width of the tyres will increase to 325mm at the front (up from 245mm under the current regulations) and 405mm at the rear (up from 305mm). The significantly wider tyres will increase the mechanical grip of the cars -- in the pursuit of lower lap times and increased overtaking opportunities -- and are part of a wider set of regulation changes to make the cars faster and better looking next year.

The tyres will add to the increasing weight of the cars in 2017 -- set to rise from 702kg to 722kg plus tyres -- and Pirelli racing manager Mario Isola said early estimations are for an increase in weight of five kilos across all four tyres.

ESPN

"We are still developing the first prototypes, the front is currently 8.5kg and will increase by 1kg, but I am talking only about the tyres because then there is an additional weight because of the bigger rim," he said. "The rear tyre is now 10kg and it will be around 11.5kg, depending on the final version of the prototype."

Pirelli will start testing the new dimension tyres in early August once a test car is available from one of the teams and has been granted extra track time by the FIA in preparation for 2017.

[DeeCee]

These do look awesome, now to get rid of all the kers, mers and what ever else they call it, and just rely on good old ENGINE HP.....

[Xingu]

I liked small tire racing, it was exciting. Wide tires will increase speeds as grip in the corners will be increased, so maybe there will be some great passes next year.

[espo]

The new tires look as if they would have to much sidewall flex and would allow the tread to lift away from the track in corners. It will be interesting to find out how they have redesigned the tires.

[Crazy Ed]

    Flex shouldn't be too big of a problem. Back in the first CanAm series they ran wider tires on cars that were (suprisingly only) around 100Kg's heavier. My guess is with over 40 years of info and Data to graw off of they ought to have a handle on flex. What will be interesting will be the additional 4" width per tire and how it'll look on the Cars. Heck at that point they'll be just over an inch shy of the width of a NHRA Funny Car/Top Fuel Rear tire!

[dublin boy]

Even a small return to mechanical grip has to welcomed.

Maybe I'm a bit old school here and going backwards in technology, but I'd also cut aero downforce and I'd have steel brakes and proper manual gearboxes.

Oh, and one set of tyres. Obviously if you need more they're available, but a pit stop will take too long.

Goes off to google Alain Prost back in the day.....LOL

[Xingu]

They do need to level the playing field a bit more. I would like to see it where anyone can win. 99% of the time it is going to be between 4 or 5 drivers.

[Racephoto1]

Keep the narrow tires. That makes it more about the driver. Big gumballs are easy to run on. Narrow ones are a lot harder to run on.

[58 Impala]

Like the wider tires, now just get rid of Kers and the tiny turbo V6's and go back to traction control V10's screaming to 20,000 rpms.

 

[DeeCee]

Like the wider tires, now just get rid of Kers and the tiny turbo V6's and go back to traction control V10's screaming to 20,000 rpms.

 

The only traction control should be the right foot, that sorts the pretenders from the drivers i reckon.

[58 Impala]

The only traction control should be the right foot, that sorts the pretenders from the drivers i reckon.

Probably so, but it was cool to hear 20 cars sidestep the clutch at 20 grand plus. ?

[Howard Cohen]

Maybe with the wider tyres, they will remove some of the aero spoilers, wings, do-dads, gizmos, etc. that so often make the cars look like transformers  Maybe the new tyres will allow the designers to make the cars more slick and attractive with neat graphics and that may draw in some more fans in addition to making the cars more competitive