Williams calls for 2011 tyres test

[stealthhaggis]

Are Williams looking to give up on this season already????! Seriously though, would be a good idea so all the teams can decide who they like best and then come to the conclusion that 6 teams like Pirelli and 6 like Michelin!

Williams calls for 2011 tyres test

By Jonathan Noble    Thursday, May 20th 2010, 14:09 GMT
Formula 1 teams should be granted a special post-grand prix test session after one of this season's races to help them get an understanding of next year's tyres.

That is the view of Williams technical director Sam Michael, who thinks that the best solution for helping teams better understand tyre characteristics for their 2011 car designs is to give them a day's running with the new tyre supplier.

F1 teams are hoping to finalise whether they want Pirelli or Michelin for next year before the Turkish Grand Prix - although teams already have to get on with their 2011 designs without knowing who will supply tyres.

Michael reckons that even with full data from F1's new tyre supplier it will be hard for teams to fully understand how the rubber will behave.

"We have to just crack on with the design, assuming the tyres are similar to what we have got now because we don't have any other data," Michael told AUTOSPORT.

"We haven't decided on the tyre supplier, and even when you get the data it will be hard to ascertain the differences between Bridgestone and whoever it is without running the car on track. Hopefully we will have some sort of test.

"I think the ideal thing would be to stay back after one or two grands prix, maybe stay back on the Monday after Monza or Abu Dhabi, and do two one-hour practice sessions with a couple of sets of the new tyres if they can be produced that quickly."

Abu Dhabi is already in talks with F1 teams about holding a test immediately after the season finale, possibly for the young driver running that is currently allowed in the regulations.

[Williamsfan]

It would be a good idea to get some testing done on the new tyres ahead of 2011, I agree with a lot of Sam says actually here.  Although I quite like the idea of the teams turning up at the first test in 2011 with no idea what their cars will really be like, we might see a couple of interesting positional changes that way. 

[stealthhaggis]

By 'positional changes' do you mean spins and crashes????!

[Williamsfan]

Well, there is that, but I was thinking more along the lines of a small team might find itself a few places forward, and Williams might find itself at the front as it was the only one to guess correctly  

[stealthhaggis]

Always the dreamer eh?!

[Williamsfan]

It is usually better than the reality 

[stealthhaggis]

You mean always! Always better than reality!! 

[lkjohnson1950]

Testing will be especially important if the new supplier insists on running a larger diameter wheel to make the tires more relevant to their street tires. A lower profile tire will mean rather drastic suspension changes.

Lonny

[Williamsfan]

I thought I had read that any tyre company who wanted to bring larger wheels into the equation would not do so next year but would bring it in later.  I might well be wrong, but you do make a very important point there.

[stealthhaggis]

Yeah, especially as it would really affect the aerodynamics, I thought it was Michelin that were talking about increasing the size to 17"? Would mean one of my motors would have the same size tyres as F! for the first time! 

[cosworth151]

There's more to be considered than aero. Larger wheel would allow larger brakes. Shorter sidewalls would have less flex.

[lkjohnson1950]

The less flex part is really important. Because of the high down force, F1 cars are really stiff. They use the flex in the tall sidewalls to fine tune the suspension via air pressure. A lower profile tire would make that much more difficult. A complete rethink of the suspension would be necessary.

Lonny

[John S]

The less flex part is really important. Because of the high down force, F1 cars are really stiff. They use the flex in the tall sidewalls to fine tune the suspension via air pressure. A lower profile tire would make that much more difficult. A complete rethink of the suspension would be necessary.

Lonny

I'm thinking less flex could mean we see drivers with padded sections on their race suits similar to the Moto GP hump backs.  

They could all look like they have just taken a dump in their pants.     -