Over the last few years, Formula 1 has started a process of pushing towards increasingly sustainable motorsport, with the aim of reaching the “carbon neutral” target by 2030. A renewal policy that expands on multiple fronts: from aspects such as the organization of travel, travel and the calendar, although the latter is often also linked to financial needs, to topics such as biofuels or synthetic fuels.
Among the proposals on the table in collaboration with Pirelli there was also the possibility of eliminating tyrewarmers, following the example of other categories that already follow this approach. For example, in Formula E the tires are expressly designed to work without the aid of external devices while still guaranteeing high resistance, while in the Endurance championship the crackdown came at the beginning of the season, even if there was no shortage of controversy given that the product was not built with this change in mind.
The idea was to follow this path also in Formula 1, with Pirelli starting to test various prototypes from the end of the last championship, to the point of placing the compounds that did not require the use of tyrewarmers as the reference basis for the tests. A complex challenge, because it was necessary to rethink the structure of the tyres, which should have been able to resist the efforts with low pressures coming out of the pits, but also avoid overheating when the tire stabilized and entered the correct range of operation.
Pirelli tires
Photo by: Motorsport.com / Japan
According to what was quantified by Pirelli, this step would have resulted in an increase in pressure between 8 and 10 psi, which is why it would have been essential to continue carrying out tests to find the right alchemy between the various elements. However, drivers expressed mostly negative thoughts about the possibility of racing without the aid of pre-heating tools, citing safety as one of the most important concerns. On some tracks, such as Barcelona which features numerous fast, high-energy corners and generally warmer temperatures, warming up the tire does not take much time, but on other tracks, perhaps colder or less demanding on the tyres, this phase could take a long time. excessive.
For this reason, in recent months it was decided to postpone its introduction and give Pirelli an extra year to develop the product, even if riders still believe that eliminating tyrewarmers is not the solution to follow. It would be more advantageous, however, to focus on more efficient equipment that can require less energy to operate. The two main suppliers of tire warmers, the German KLS and the British company MA Horne, are in fact studying ways to reduce energy consumption.
The plans for introducing a ban in 2024 have already been shelved last July, but alongside the work for next year’s compounds Pirelli is continuing its test program in the hypothesis that, with the victory of the ban for 2025 -28, the theme can return to play again.
Pirelli tires in tyrewarmers
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The topic of tire warmers was discussed at length during the drivers’ briefings in recent GPs, where GPDA director George Russell stated that it is possible to save as much energy over the course of a season by turning off the paddock lighting at night.
“When it comes to sustainability, there is a lot to do on all fronts,” Russell said.
“There are opportunities everywhere, from energy consumption in garages, to hospital facilities, to goods traveling around the world. I think that at Mercedes we have done an incredible job, pushing the limits and really being the leaders in this field with the biofuels that we have used, for example, in trucks in Europe.”
“Obviously the removal of tire warmers is a very important issue for the future. I think many drivers feel that it is a very difficult task for the manufacturers when you have a 1000 horsepower car with the load we have to compete without tire warmers, bordering on dangerous.
“Actually, if we focused on making a more sustainable electric blanket, we could have a win-win. And I think that’s in development.”
The tires inside the tyrewarmers
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Russell also pointed out that the tire testing program itself is energy consuming. “We haven’t actually seen any reports on the consumption of the electric blankets. So we’d like to see what the actual consumption is and understand the perspective, because obviously it’s not the most sustainable thing to do all the tests to remove the electric blankets, when in reality there are many other things we can do. And apparently, from a non-engineering perspective, making a more sustainable electric blanket is probably the quickest win we can achieve.
Regarding the long term, the Mercedes driver then added: “Never say never, I’m sure. Tires without tire warmers are something we will see perhaps in ten years. But I think there are still several years before [un divieto alla termocoperte] is practicable.”
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