Following a vote by all ten Formula 1 teams, Pirelli Motorsport will revert back to their 2019 tyre compounds for the 2020 season.
Pirelli had been testing their prototype 2020 compounds in recent months but the vote by the teams was a unanimous one, meaning they will not change the specification of their tyres for next season.
Most recently, the teams used the two-day, post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test at the Yas Marina Circuit to compare 2019 and 2020 compounds, but following this, it was decided that the planned tyres were not up to scratch.
Teams therefore will be able to continue development of their 2020 machines without factoring in the new compounds of tyre, whilst also providing some stability to the teams as they focus on the last year of thirteen inch tyres before eighteen inch tyres come into play in 2021.
Speaking after the test but prior to the vote, Maria Isola, the Head of F1 and Car Racing at Pirelli, had said that the 2020 construction of tyre was the best option for next season but he hinted there was a possibility that teams would vote against this move, something that has proved to be correct.
“We completed two days of testing with the 2020 tyres in temperatures that were more typical of the Formula 1 season,” said Isola. “The most important part was giving teams the opportunity to run the 2020 tyres back-to-back with the current 2019 tyres, to see how they compared.
“During the first day, we tended to see shorter runs, with teams concentrating on longer runs during day two. We’ve noted some improvements, especially with the softest C5 tyre, but that’s not always been matched by the tyres with compounds in the middle of the range.
“To get the complete picture, we’ll of course analyse all the data in precise detail over the next days, especially the long run data, which is particularly pertinent.
“Considering the predicted evolution of the cars for next season, we still believe that the 2020 tyre construction remains the best solution, but we are of course open to continue working with the 2019 tyres if this is what the majority of teams desire.”
