The post-season testing session on the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi marks Method 1’s remaining day on monitor in 2024. Past giving younger drivers the chance to hit the monitor and acquire some expertise, this take a look at offers groups and Pirelli with a superb alternative to assemble beneficial information and insights on subsequent season’s Pirelli tires.
Whereas one automotive is devoted to rookies or drivers primarily working in simulators in the course of the season, utilizing 2024 tires, the opposite automotive is already fitted with 2025 tires. For groups, it is a nice likelihood to gather essential information on subsequent yr’s tires, which embody a wider vary of compounds past these examined a number of weeks in the past in Mexico.
In Mexico Metropolis, groups participated in a session in the course of the second free follow session solely centered on information assortment for Pirelli, testing a single compound sort in its 2024 and 2025 variations. For instance, some groups have been restricted to the C4 compound in each variations for comparability, whereas others examined C3, C5, or C6.
Moreover, as per Pirelli’s request, no setup modifications have been allowed that would skew the info. Whereas this made the insights vital, they have been additionally restricted. Furthermore, the compounds examined throughout that session weren’t but the homologated variations for the next yr.
In distinction, in Abu Dhabi, groups had better freedom in utilizing the tires. They weren’t restricted to a single compound however had entry to a broader vary of choices. Groups had 5 completely different compounds, from C2 to C6, with the latter being the brand new addition for 2025.
Nevertheless, groups had restricted units of C2 and C6 tires since these compounds weren’t significantly appropriate for this monitor: the previous is just too laborious and struggles to offer satisfactory grip, whereas the latter is just too tender and can’t final a full lap, as seen in Mexico Metropolis. Nonetheless, the Italian producer wished to offer groups the chance to assemble some information and keep away from beginning the 2025 assessments with none reference factors. Simone Berra, Pirelli’s F1 Chief Engineer, said that the corporate aimed to offer groups with the chance to run and collect information on the C2 and C6 compounds. Nevertheless, he indicated that groups have been anticipated to focus extra on the C3, thought of the baseline compound, in addition to the C4 and C5.
In a Method 1 season that, as proven this yr, has been extremely depending on groups’ means to optimize tire utilization for each single laps and race stints, these assessments supply a beneficial alternative to enhance predictive fashions and collect new information for simulators in the course of the winter break. Past modifications to the compounds themselves, Pirelli has additionally modified the tire constructions to deal with the a great deal of the 2025 automobiles, making every bit of information important for getting ready for the upcoming season.
Simone Berra emphasised the significance of the assessments, noting that they supply groups with their first alternative to make use of the brand new homologated tires. He defined that this additionally marks the preliminary likelihood to gather information, which will likely be analyzed to refine simulations and fashions for the next yr’s automotive.
For Pirelli, too, this take a look at day is a wonderful likelihood to achieve a clearer understanding of the potential tire efficiency for subsequent yr. Throughout the season, the Italian producer performed a number of take a look at classes with groups and trialed completely different compounds and constructions. To offer an concept, in the course of the Suzuka take a look at after the Japanese GP, 12 completely different tires have been examined.
Due to this fact, past the references obtained within the latter a part of the season and in the course of the follow session in Mexico, the post-season Abu Dhabi session additionally represents a fantastic alternative for Pirelli to have a clearer image of efficiency variations throughout compounds for single laps.
Simone Berra highlighted the importance of the take a look at, noting that regardless of conducting assessments all through the season and experimenting with varied constructions and compounds, there had been restricted alternatives to totally consider efficiency variations in lap instances between the completely different compounds.
That is significantly important for the softer compounds, as Pirelli might take into account skipping compounds in particular conditions—an idea that has by no means been absolutely deserted. Pirelli’s F1 Chief Engineer identified that whereas they’d gathered intensive info, it had not been collected utilizing homologated tires on a single monitor with a number of automobiles. He defined that this take a look at supplied the primary alternative to acquire references with at the least 5 of the six compounds within the full vary. He famous that understanding the efficiency delta could be beneficial, as inner information assortment was supplemented by the extra insights gained from on-track testing with ten groups.
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Dec 11, 2024
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