PlanetF1

Hembery: A crucial first test

Monday 04-February-2013 12:42

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery has highlighted the importance of this week's Jerez test as it will give the teams their first understanding.

Although the teams run the new Pirelli rubber late last season, Tuesday's opening day of pre-season testing will be the first day they will put the tyres on their 2013 cars.

"The pre-season tests represent an important opportunity for the teams to integrate their new car package with the 2013 tyres," Hembery said.

"With the number of test days strictly limited, the work done in testing will be crucial for their understanding of the tyres over the rest of the season.

"As many new cars will be running as well, it is sure to be an extremely busy four days in Jerez."

Over the course of the four days the teams will run the different compounds while getting a feel for the bigger contact patch that the new tyres offer.

"The teams will encounter tyres that are quite different to the ones they were used to last year," he said.

"Every P Zero compound and construction has been changed, with softer compounds that allow more performance and a different construction that will place a bigger footprint on the track surface to enhance traction and grip.

"This is one of the key aspects of Jerez, which should enable the teams to start to understand the nature of our new tyres by the time they go home on Friday."