Pirelli concludes ‘vital’ 18-inch F1 tyre tests after 4,000 laps

Alpine reserve driver Daniil Kvyat completed the 28th and final day of track running in 2021 on Tuesday at Paul Ricard in France, with the Russian covering a wet weather session. 

F1 is introducing the new 18-inch wheels to replace the current 13-inch tyres next season as part of a major overhaul to the regulations that will also see the debut of a brand new car. 

An additional eight days of running were carried out across 2019 and 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the original plan to introduce the new rubber this year. 

The Italian manufacturer claims that a total of 4,267 laps - the equivalent of more than 20,000 kilometres - were completed by 19 drivers on 10 different tracks in both wet and dry conditions throughout its testing programme. 

15 current drivers participated including Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, George Russell and Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. 

All the teams bar Williams took part in the running using a mule car that had been specifically built to simulate the downforce levels that are expected in 2022. 

.@AlpineF1Team driver @kvyatofficial concludes Pirelli’s #Fit4F1 18-inch 2022 test campaign after completing 167 laps on next year’s Cinturato Green intermediate tyres at @PaulRicardTrack in France. Vital info for Pirelli to finalise the definitive specification for next year. pic.twitter.com/2FHBNMFpIz

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) October 18, 2021

Pirelli’s head of motorsport Mario Isola described the driver feedback during the test programme as being “vital”. 

“With this latest wet test we finally close our development schedule for the new 18-inch tyres,” said Isola. 

"Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic meant that we had to revise our test programme entirely, cancelling on-track testing to concentrate on simulation as well as virtual development and modelling. 

“This system of virtual screening helped us optimise the number of physical prototypes produced and return to on-track testing for 28 days throughout 2021.

“We started off the development process with the profile, before moving onto the base construction, and finally homing in on the five compounds that we will homologate for next year.

“The results obtained up to now have been arrived at with the input of the drivers currently competing in the championship, a vital aspect for us, albeit using mule cars.

“Next year, we will still have some test days at our disposal, which will allow us to fine-tune the 2022 tyre with the new cars if needed.”

F1 drivers will get the chance to try out the definitive 18-inch tyres at the post-season Abu Dhabi test, before they are used on the 2022 cars for the first time during pre-season testing.