Pirelli review of first Barcelona test

(Pirelli Motorsport Media)

Formula One tyre supplier Pirelli has been named as the official title sponsor of the 2015 FIA Formula One Spanish Grand Prix.

Over the course of the opening four test in Barcelona, Pirelli tyres completed 3134 laps. The Italian company have seen a big step in the performance of the 2015 specification race tyre compared to last year’s which the company puts down to the change in construction of the rear which distributes temperature more evenly throughout the tyre.

The Lotus F1 Team were the pace setters over the course of the four day test topping the times on three of the four days at the Barcelona Circuit de Catalunya. On the opening day of the test on Thursday, Pastor Maldonado’s fastest time of 1m 25.011s set on the Soft tyre was faster than last season’s pole position time of 1m 25.232s.

On the second day, Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s pace setting time on the Soft tyre was also faster than last season’s pole position time.

Maldonado was once again fastest on day 3 using a set of the Pirelli Super soft tyre with a time of 1m 24.348s while on the final day his team mate Romain Grosjean topped the times with a 1m 24.067s.

In total Pirelli brought 398 sets of tyres to Barcelona made up as follows: (18 Super Soft, 56 Soft, 135 Medium, 51 Hard, 70 Intermediate, 44 Full Wet, 18 Prototype Medium and 6 Winter Hard.

Over the course of the four days 261 sets of tyres were used, broken down as follows: (11 Super Soft, 56 Soft, 126 Medium, 35 Hard, 9 Intermediate, 0 Full Wet, 18 Prototype Medium and 6 Winter Hard.

The teams will remain in Barcelona for the final winter test which begins on Thursday morning.

Speaking following the test Pirelli Motorsport Director Paul Hembery stated:

'Once again in Barcelona, as was the case at the first test in Jerez, we had quite cool weather and a sprinkling of rain, but the teams were still able to get through a considerable testing distance, with all the compounds apart from the full wet tried out, although there was very little significant running on the intermediate. Montmeló is well known as a technical and wide-ranging circuit, which makes it an ideal test venue to investigate every aspect of tyre behaviour. It’s still too early to draw too many conclusions about the year ahead, but the lap times already indicate that the cars are even faster this year, with many of the testing times comfortably inside last year’s pole position. The teams were able to work through quite a varied programme, including pit stop procedure, in order to acquaint themselves with the characteristics of the 2015 Pirelli range, and match them to their new cars. 

This work will continue during the next test in Barcelona, which takes place from next Thursday onwards, and is the final opportunity for the teams to prepare their cars before the first grand prix of the season. At this time, we’re also pleased to announce that as was the case last year, Pirelli will be the Title Sponsor of the Formula 1 Gran Premio de España in May, and the Formula 1 Magyar Nagydíj 2015 in July.

(Pirelli Motorsport Media)

© Ben Johnston 2015