Pirelli has dismissed allegations suggesting that their mid-season adjustment to the tyre specifications will further contribute to the already considerable weight of the Formula 1 cars for this year.
During the practice sessions leading up to the Spanish Grand Prix, teams had the opportunity to test the revised tyres, which are now making their debut at Silverstone this weekend.
According to Pirelli, these modifications have been implemented in response to the unexpectedly elevated levels of downforce being generated by the cars.
“In Barcelona, the (new) tyres were already 800 grams heavier,” said Mercedes driver George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association.
“And the tyres we’re using here are even 1.1 kilograms heavier than what we had in Austria last week,” he added.
Contrary to a claim made by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Pirelli has firmly denied the suggestion, asserting that the updated tyres actually contribute a negligible amount of additional weight, equivalent to less than half a kilogram.
It is yet to be seen if the new tyres shake up the pecking order at all, especially for the teams who have been struggling with excessive wear.
“I think it will be important to evaluate and understand how much difference the new tyres make on the degradation,” said Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ahead of the British GP.
“We don’t know if it will be a benefit or not.”
