Pirelli anticipate more predictable races in 2020

Pirelli chief Mario Isola thinks the decision to snub the 2020 tyre compounds has taken away some of the unpredictability for the season ahead.

The 2020 prototypes were tested toward the end of the 2019 campaign with a view of introducing them for the season opener at Melbourne in March.

However, teams were unanimous in their decision to keep the 2019 compounds in place for another season after being less than impressed with what the Italian tyre manufacturer had to offer as an alternative.

As teams now have such extensive knowledge of the 2019 tyres, Isola reckons that will create more predictability as there will be fewer, if any, surprises with the tyre compounds.

“The 2019 product was working well, we had a very good season, with good races,” Isola told MotorsportWeek.com.

“[In 2018 there was] blistering, degradation, overheating, there were some compounds that were not spacing the right way in terms of delta lap times, so we have no issues in carrying over the 2019 product to 2020.

“It’s important the teams are aware of the fact that in keeping the same product with cars that will be faster we will obviously have to increase a little bit the starting pressure and for sure we don’t have a situation in which there is any reduction in overheating or degradation, that is clear, we discussed that with the teams, they preferred 2019 [tyres] for a number of reasons.

“The 2020 [tyres] are different, so that means they [the teams] had to adapt and modify the 2020 cars if they decided to move to the 2020 tyres.

“They were at the final phase of development on the 2020 cars so they preferred to stay on the known product, which is the 2019-spec.

“We will have a bit less unpredictability in terms of knowing the tyres because it’s a product they know very well and that’s all.

“I don’t see any other difference or issue in keeping the 2019 tyres for another season.”

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