F1 | Unanimous Agreement to Reject 2020 Pirelli Tyres Reached by Teams

Paul Jeffrey · Dec 11, 2019

The Formula One field have unanimously voted against using the new specification 2020 Pirelli tyres next season in Formula One - electing to remain with the compound developed by the Italian manufacturer this season.

Something of a rarity in modern Grand Prix racing - all the teams coming to a joint decision - news of the agreement to reject the new specification tyres for next season is something of a blow for Pirelli, scuppering plans by the brand to introduce new rubber that aims to reduce overheating and aid drivers in their bid to follow cars more closer out on the track.

The proposed new tyres have received mixed reactions when run during both FP1 in Austin and more recently at the end of season test following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and now the 2019 field have voted to retain the compounds used during this season for another year in the to flight.

"The vote resulted in a unanimous decision to keep the 2019 specification tyres for the 2020 season by the Formula 1 teams,” said the FIA in a statement.

“The FIA would like to thank both Pirelli and all the teams for their work and collaboration to improve the tyres for the 2020 season and beyond. In any case, the lessons learnt will be invaluable for the further improvement of the tyres in the future.”

Retaining 2019 specification into next year will be the final season for the current diameter wheels in Formula One racing, with the sport set to adopt 18-inch wheels from the start of 2021.

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Momperface · Dec 11, 2019

yay, another year of 1 pit stop strategy.... zero strategy needed

rubaru · Dec 11, 2019

Momperface said:
yay, another year of 1 pit stop strategy.... zero strategy needed

It is, however, nice to see some stability with something. With so many things changing from year to year, not having to start from zero learning the tyres (again) will help.

UMC 22 · Dec 11, 2019

rubaru said:
It is, however, nice to see some stability with something.

Depends on your point of view. Regulation stability means zero chance of any major shake-ups in performance, which means next year's results are more likely to mirror this year's. Stability in results is no fun at all.

Also, this to me shows one of the major problems of F1. The teams should not be dictating what the regulations are for anything. They should be given the regs and made to follow them, just like 99% of other motorsports.

michelforest · Dec 11, 2019

Ross Garland said:
Depends on your point of view. Regulation stability means zero chance of any major shake-ups in performance, which means next year's results are more likely to mirror this year's. Stability in results is no fun at all.

Also, this to me shows one of the major problems of F1. The teams should not be dictating what the regulations are for anything. They should be given the regs and made to follow them, just like 99% of other motorsports.

I could not agree more. Right now, the inmates are running the asylum.

paracletus · Dec 11, 2019

In the dumpster they go

Knoxstar · Dec 12, 2019

I read this unanimous as Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull Honda and Renault. The rest are beholden to their engine supplier. Before certain people roast me I just want to remind you that it is my opinion. If it was a safety issue fine but I'm curious as to what they gave as a reason.

Tormentor · Dec 12, 2019

What F1 needs is a second tyre brand, a Quali tyre, a soft and a hard compound. Done. And create a track with a pitlane so long, that you re-enter the race in the exact same position after your stop. That means, if you in second place with 10 seconds of the leader, you have the same position and distance after your stop and will be forced to overtake on track and not by strategie.

turbo86 · Dec 12, 2019

I see corporate mentality in this decision. The "teams"...meaning the major players, the leading ones, who also happen to be the suppliers for the rest, have decided that they will maintain this situation because it brings the desired financial results, consistently. And nowadays that's all that counts. Well, at least for F1.

Oh whatever.... who gives a F%$T^ anyway.....i still wouldn't watch F1, i hate this grid of incompetent idiots and crybabies.

ermo · Dec 12, 2019

It would have been nice to hear more about the set-up tradeoffs explored with this new tyre (carcass) construction.

Let's not forget that the current tyres are a known quantity in terms of aerodynamic influence, which is a major part of modern F1 car design considerations -- you can essentially lose your downforce in cornering if your aero doesn't properly manage the wake of the tyres.

To me it sounds like the F1 teams are not acting in the best interests of the sporting spectacle on this one, but at the same time, they may actually be acting to manage spending, because it will give them more money for development of the new-for-'21 rules package instead of having to divert resources to work on the '20 cars in parallel.

I *would* like to know what Pirelli thinks of this. If I hear a single driver or team complaining about the tyres going off when following next season, I'm going to have a good laugh!

FinFan · Dec 12, 2019

Wait a minute, if the new tires would reduce overheating and drivers could follow other cars more closely isn't that a good thing ? Shouldn't this lead to more overtaking ? I know, dirty air and stuff, but nonetheless.
Sounds to me they want the status qou retained.

E304LIFE · Dec 12, 2019

F1 needs to have one or two races a year where all drivers race with the same car. Even if they only count them as "exhibition" races.

Pauli Ahonen · Dec 12, 2019

That's what happens when you try to reinvent the wheel.

Antony Snook · Dec 12, 2019

All Lewis dose is moan about the tires. And more setup work will have to be done on suspension to accommodate the new spec. So i think the new speck tire will give the championship to a rival. Before the budget cap sets in. Obviously the new speck tire has less rubber and better for the environment. (This is why we have V6 turbo power units because it represents the technology of modern road cars) So the new spec tire is used on other touring and road cars. So the 2019 tire is relevant technology to road cars and of no use to F1 in the long term. Just a softer ride for the drivers and a help in Lewis getting tittle #7. So F1 will only be better in 2021.

Antony Snook · Dec 12, 2019

E304LIFE said:
F1 needs to have one or two races a year where all drivers race with the same car. Even if they only count them as "exhibition" races.

I would like to see a go cart race with all the drivers in the same go cart thogh. The driver with the worst F1 car may win.

A non championship race will be nice to kick season off. Melborne is more of a open test session than a race.

F_B · Dec 12, 2019

Antony Snook said:
I would like to see a go cart race with all the drivers in the same go cart thogh. The driver with the worst F1 car may win.

A non championship race will be nice to kick season off. Melborne is more of a open test session than a race.

We had that. Good times.

Jan Larsen · Dec 13, 2019

rubaru said:
It is, however, nice to see some stability with something. With so many things changing from year to year, not having to start from zero learning the tyres (again) will help.

With stability comes predictability. Predictability is the main funkiller in motorsports. Advance on mediums in Q2 for the 3 top teams, softs for Q3 and then a medium/hard stradegy for the race for the vast majority of the races, except for the odd race with very abrasive or superhot asphalt. Its not really a recipe for exiting racing is it? Only one thing could shake that stradegy up - rain.