Formula One is heading into a new tyre era in 2017.
Wider tyres, giving the teams more mechanical grip is one of many regulations changes for the new Formula One World Championship season.
The new tyres, which are 25% wider, are hoped to see speeds increase, with drivers knocking as much as 4-5 seconds a lap off recent times due to increased speeds, particularly in the corners.
But when testing for the new 2017 season is yet to begin, just how do Italian tyre manufacturers Pirelli develop these new tyres when there are no cars to run them?
Well last week the idea was to bolt the wet tyres on to a 2015 car which had been adapted to try and simulate the expected higher downforce levels of next season.
It didn’t go well.
Four-time Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel jumped into the modified 2015 Ferrari and promptly crashed.
Vettel crashed at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit’s fast left-hander leading to hairpin. The German was uninjured in the crash, but the car was too damaged to continue the test.
This will not only be disappointing for both Ferrari and Pirelli but also for the rest of the Formula One grid.
Formula One teams need to be confident in the performance of the new tyres, especially in wet conditions when safety is paramount.
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