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Pirelli hopes for fixed tyre choices for early 2017 races

Pirelli says that a plan is being discussed to give all teams the same tyre allocation for the early races of next season, rather than allow them all a free choice.

A McLaren mechanic with Pirelli tyres

A McLaren mechanic with Pirelli tyres

XPB Images

Pirelli tyres
Pirelli tyres in the paddock
Pirelli tyres
Pirelli tyres
Pirelli tyres
Pirelli tyres
Pirelli tyres
Pirelli tyres

At the moment the choice of how many sets of each of the three compounds a driver has for a weekend is made 14 weeks in advance for flyaway races, to allow Pirelli to produce the tyres and send them by sea freight.

That meant the choices for this year's Australian GP had to be made last December.

Given that Pirelli is having to develop a range of completely new tyres for the new 2017 sizes – and that teams will have limited information anyway – it is hoping that a rule change can be agreed to allow the tyre company and/or the FIA to agree a selection that all teams will use in the opening flyaways, before switching back to a free choice for the European races.

"The plan is to keep the same regulations," said Pirelli's Mario Isola.

"Of course we are discussing with the teams how we can implement this at the beginning of the year, because they will have a complete new product, complete new compounds, so it's difficult to select the compounds 14 weeks in advance for the first races.

"This is something that we have to discuss. In my opinion the regulation is working, so we have no reason to change it, but we need to find a solution at least for the first three or four races."

Isola stressed that extra time is required because tyres go by sea freight.

"We don't know the calendar at the moment, but consider the calendar that we had this year. From winter testing to the first race, we had two weeks.

"In two weeks, even if you air freight the tyres, you don't have time to produce and air freight the tyres. So it's not enough. We can shorten the time at the beginning of the season, using air freight, but if you want to go to Australia, you need three or four weeks."

Isola said a fixed choice would ease Pirelli's logistical headaches.

"In that case we can produce the tyres in advance. If they decide for example to have a fixed allocation at the beginning of the year, we can start producing. The plan is to finish the development of the 2017 product at the end of November.

"So our sessions are planned to have a final validation in Abu Dhabi, after the race, with the three [test] cars.

"And this final validation is to check everything is OK, compounds are OK, construction is OK. And after that we have the product available, and we can start production. And it is the beginning of December."

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