The WRC is preparing to hold the fifth round of the 2024 season, the second on gravel after the Safari, i.e. the Portugal Rally.
Although this is Pirelli’s last year as the sole supplier of tires to the WRC, the Milanese company has created a new Scorpion, the tire designed for dirt roads, which will make its debut this weekend in Portugal.
It is a tire made specifically for hybrid Rally1 cars in two types of compounds, Hard and Soft, called HB and SB respectively. These are tires made thanks to the experience gained since 2021 on the most difficult terrains of the World Championship.
Terenzio Testoni comments on the new Scorpion
Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli rally activity manager, commented thus on the introduction of the two new Scorpion compounds at the Portugal Rally.
“The WRC is an important development platform also for all the categories and championships in which we are and will continue to be involved, starting with the ERC. Portugal is one of the most difficult events on the calendar and will therefore be an excellent testing ground which will certainly lead us to important results.”
“The teams have already expressed their satisfaction with the new product, more robust than the previous one, which has proven to be highly appreciated by the pilots. Its range and performance are unchanged and therefore do not require a specific learning process” .
The characteristics of the Portugal Rally
Riders will find fast and technical special stages with a surface that will vary depending on the stage, going from soft and sandy, with little grip, to a much rougher and more treacherous surface, especially after the first passages on the stages.
Another characteristic of the tests is linked to the formation of the tracks on the stage. Machine after machine, grooves are created in the bottom of the tests which can create pitfalls.
Don’t underestimate the weather forecast. If it were to rain, the amount of precipitation could completely change the scenario. With a lot of rain, the surface can become slippery and full of mud.
For these reasons, the Prime tires will be considered the Soft, while the Hard are the Options. The former will be perfect for slippery, sandy surfaces with little grip, while the Hard ones will have to be taken into consideration when the surface is rougher and for longer special stages.
Rally Portugal, tire allocation
For the Rally Portugal each car will have the following tires available:
- 28 Prime (Soft) erasers
- 8 Option tires (Hard).
The rules will allow crews to choose 12 Option (Hard) tyres, but deducting 4 from the number of Prime (Soft) tyres.
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