The FIA has confirmed that F1 will keep the current 2019 Pirelli tyres for the forthcoming 2020 season after a decision was taken through a vote.
Following an extensive test in all of 2019 and subsequent use of the tyres in US GP practice session and the two-day test in Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina circuit, the decision regarding the 2020 tyres is out as the F1 teams have decided to keep the current compounds.
Things didn’t look good for Pirelli, whether in US GP and or the Abu Dhabi test, where the mood was that it would be impossible to race with the 2020 compound in 2020 as the tyres felt really slow despite being put in lower temperatures which it was made for.
Pirelli’s Mario Isola admitted to the concerns during the two-day test where it looked like the decision will go otherwise, even though the FIA had already homologated the 2020 compounds. The deadline to change was Monday, December 9, 2019.
To go back to the 2019 F1 tyres, there had to be at least seven teams wanting the change. Without specificying the numbers, the FIA stated that the decision through voting was ‘unanimous’ and that the 2020 season will see the same tyres as in 2019.
The statement from the FIA read: “After having tested and analysed new specification tyres for 2020, a vote for the specification of the tyres for the 2020 Season was carried out according to Article 12.6.1 of the technical regulations.
“The vote resulted in a unanimous decision to keep the 2019 specification tyres for the 2020 season by the F1 teams. 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 lerant will be invaluable for the further improvement of the tyres in the future.” There is no issues with Pirelli running 2019 tyres on 2020 F1 cars as Isola mentioned that they can do it by increasing the pressures.
UPDATE: Pirelli shared its statement regarding the 2019 tyres to be used in 2020 as it also revealed that Ferrari will be the first to test the 2021 tyres in February at Jerez. Here’s the brief statement from the Italian manufacturer:
“The teams will no longer have to modify the designs of their 2020 cars, which would otherwise have been necessary to accommodate the different profile of the 2020 tyre construction. This will now allow the teams to continue the development of their 2020 cars – which are already at an advanced stage – uninterrupted. The use of the 2019 tyres also guarantees the teams stability, with the advantage of using a well-known product during the final season of the current regulations.
“The new solutions for the 2020 construction tyres tested last week in Abu Dhabi, which Pirelli will continue to develop further for the 18-inch era from 2021, allow lower tyre pressures than those used at the moment to be run. As a result, they are able to compensate for the increased performance expected from the next generation of cars.
“These new solutions seen on the 18-inch tyres that will be used from 2021 onwards, with the first on-track tests in this size have already shown positive results. The development test campaign with 18-inch tyres for 2021 onwards will continue throughout 2020, beginning in February with Ferrari at Jerez in Spain.”
Here’s what Pirelli said during the two-day F1 test
Here’s what few drivers said about the 2020 tyres
Here’s Pirelli confirming about all teams to prepare a mule car
Mercedes completes 18-inch F1 tyre test with Russell in Abu Dhabi