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With F1 moving to a new 18-inch wheel for the 2022 season, Pirelli boss Mario Isola has said one-stop races will 'not be an issue' provided it improves the quality of racing.
The new wheels are just one of many new changes set to be implemented in the sport as part of the regulatory revamp of F1 ahead of the upcoming season. As a result, Pirelli has worked to create new tire compounds that are not as prone to degradation as previous compounds.
Pirelli expects this to play a pivotal role in how teams formulate approaches and feels the sport could see a rise in more one-stop strategies because of this. While speaking to racefans.net, Isola said:
“I hope we don’t have less strategic variability because the idea and the way in which we have designed the tires is exactly to continue to have a different strategy mix of one and two stops. It is also true that with a new product, with less degradation, it is possible that we have less pit stops – so we have the majority of the races on one stop.”
Isola then went on to add:
“As I always say, for me, it is not an issue as long as we have good races and action on track. So, if we have drivers that can push to overtake, we have a lot of action. When overtaking is too easy, it’s not good [but] it’s important that the driver is putting a lot of effort in trying to overtake. That is exactly what spectators want.”
Pirelli has also reportedly worked in conjunction with existing F1 teams to help reduce tire vibrations caused during high-speed racing.
This can improve the stability of the cars, thereby making it safer for the drivers when they push them to their limits during races.
F1 tire reliability vital for Pirelli in 2022 season
In addition to seeing better racing on track, Pirelli is equally focused on ensuring and improving tire reliability in F1. The Italian tire manufacturer has seen multiple high-profile tire blowouts in recent seasons.
Ferrari saw both cars afflicted by this at the 2017 British Grand Prix. Mercedes suffered a similar fate at Silverstone in 2020. Lewis Hamilton famously won his home race on only three wheels on that occasion.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen was on course to win the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix when a rear tire failure sent him into the walls on the start-finish straight in Baku.
While many fans have opined that this crash played a role in taking the championship battle to the last race, the formula designed by Pirelli will attempt to eradicate these incidents in the upcoming season.
