Pirelli's final F1 test gets underway in Bahrain
ERJ staff report (TP)
Milan, Italy – Formula One teams will get their final chance to test Pirelli’s 2014 P Zero tires and prepare for the forthcoming F1 season at the last four-day test in Bahrain this week.
Coming straight off the back of the previous four-day test in Bahrain last week, the teams will be able to keep up their testing momentum as they assess the four new slick compounds in the Pirelli range: P Zero Orange hard, P Zero White medium, P Zero Yellow soft and P Zero Red supersoft.
At the first test of the year in Jerez, Spain, the teams also got the chance to test the Cinturato Green intermediate tires and Cinturato Blue full wets.
Pirelli F1 tire range for 2014:
P Zero Orange hard
Toughest of the range, designed for circuits often characterised by high ambient temperatures. Takes longer to warm up, but offers maximum durability.
P Zero White medium
Theoretically most perfectly balanced, with “ideal” compromise between performance and durability.
P Zero Yellow soft
Most frequently used, striking a “very good” balance between performance and durability, with the accent on performance. Still biased towards speed rather than long distances.
P Zero Red supersoft
The softest compound – ideal for slow and twisty circuits, especially in cold weather, when maximum mechanical grip is needed.
Cinturato Green intermediate
The intermediates are the most versatile of the rain tires, dispersing approximately 25 litres of water per second at full speed. A new concept for this year.
Cinturato Blue wet
Full wet – can disperse up to 65 litres of water per second at full speed (increased from 60 litres last year) – most effective solution for heavy rain.
Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery said: “It’s still early days, but so far we’ve seen both performance and durability from our latest P Zero tires, which all feature new compounds and structures to maximise the unique power characteristics of the latest-generation cars.
“As the lap times in Bahrain have shown, we’re already very close to 2013 levels of performance, despite much smaller capacity engines and a completely fresh set of technical challenges.”
Testing Facts:
Teams are allowed an overall maximum total of 135 sets of tires for testing this year, including the in-season tests. The maximum total for the three pre-season tests is 85 sets of tires: 25 for Jerez and 30 each for the two Bahrain tests.
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Press release from Pirelli
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