Big three first to test 2017 F1 tyres

Pirelli's wider tyres for next year's Formula One season will be tested first by Ferrari, Red Bull and world champions Mercedes.

Ferrari, Red Bull and Formula One world champions Mercedes will be first to test Pirelli's wider 2017 tyres in August.

"This is the first, first version," Pirelli's racing manager Mario Isola said on Saturday at a Monaco Grand Prix presentation.

"We are working with the teams to have 'mule cars' available as soon as possible. They will be 2015 cars modified for the new tyres with additional downforce to simulate the performance expected for next year," he said, speaking in front of a demonstration car to show off the bigger prototype tyres.

"When we start, probably in August, we will have a concentrated test plan because we need to find a final version of the tyre by the end of November or December ... we don't have a lot of time."

Isola said the new tyres would take a lot more speed through the corners, with an expected improvement of four seconds in lap time.

The plan was to stay with five compounds for 2017 but that could change once they had been tested. Pirelli have brought a new ultrasoft tyre to Monaco this weekend.

The new, wider tyres have eight centimetres more at the rear and six at the front -- equal to about a 20 per cent increase on the current size.

Formula One is planning sweeping changes to the aerodynamic regulations for next year which will increase the levels of downforce.


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Source: AAP



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