The FIA have confirmed they will monitor Pirelli‘s wet tyre test at the Paul Ricard Circuit later this month, ensuring participating teams don’t have the upper hand over their absent rival teams.
Pirelli did open the test to all 2016 entry teams, giving them the opportunity to participate but in the end only McLaren-Honda, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari will be involved. The other teams are reassured by Pirelli that they will focus on the wet tyre testing on a sprinkler-soaked track.
The Italian tyre manufacturer has recently sent a note to the teams explaining that run plans would be “entirely defined by Pirelli and agreed with FIA. FIA observers will be present in garage. This is in order to monitor that only the tests dictated by Pirelli are performed. FIA observers will also have driver radio and full access to the team.”
Teams have to use 2015 specification cars, with Pirelli saying “no test parts allowed, no car/set-up testing is possible” preventing teams from testing an upgraded engine specification. The results from the test will be supplied to all teams in the 2016 entry list which will include lap and sector times.
Pirelli have a distinct aim for the session, the objective of the test is “to develop a new XWET product with an increased grip in drying conditions and without losing aquaplaning properties or performance in full wet.
“We will try to enlarge the ‘performance window’ of the XWETS and to improve the handling, reducing the snap oversteer.”
