Pirelli: Overtaking Won’t Be a Problem in 2017

Formula One tire supplier Pirelli has voiced its thoughts regarding the upcoming 2017 season – adamant that the added downforce won’t be a problem.

2017 has the folks over at Formula One antsy, and with good cause. The changes to the sport have the potential to cause one of the greatest shakeups in its history or perpetuate several years of monotony. The biggest worry being the added downforce the cars will be experiencing. The added downforce will not only exert more pressure on the driver, leading to a much more physical test of endurance, but will also keep the cars peeled to the track, letting the racers brake much later (if at all) into the corners of the track.

Source: Getty
Source: Getty

Many of the same worried folks have spoken up about this, speculating that the window of opportunity for passing a rival racer out on the track would be next to nothing. Official tire supplier of F1, Pirelli, is having none of it however:

“We’ll see a lot more one-stop races but if we deliver with the aerodynamic package cars that are closer together, and the tyre’s not overheating on the surface, drivers will be able to push and lead to a scenario where overtaking is improved.” – Pirelli

These fastest lap record holders burnt rubber in F1 at a higher temperature:

Pirelli’s views fly in the face of most of what’s come from crew chief’s and technical staff. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much conclusive testing to prove whether the 2017 cars will tip the scales in one direction or the other. The current testing has consisted of re-purposed “mule” cars from 2015.

It seems reasonable to expect that the sports sole supplier would be looking out to ensure that the Motorsport they are so heavily involved in looks the best it can in its pre-season spotlight, but Pirelli’s comments do have some truth in them: the resulting effects of the changes could go either way.

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