Pirelli is in the process of experimenting with new set of tyres however it had to cut short the Formula One wet tyre test at Ferrari’s Fiorano track in Italy on Friday after four times world champion Sebastian Vettel crashed into barriers the day before. A Pirelli spokesman said the modified 2015 Ferrari had been badly damaged in the crash on the artificially-soaked circuit outside Maranello and spare parts were not immediately available.
Reports in Italy said Vettel had suffered some bruising but was otherwise unhurt. The two-day test of the new wider tyres had been scheduled for just one car, with Red Bull and champions Mercedes also due to be involved in future weeks. The teams are testing for Pirelli with modified 2015 cars to ensure they do not gain any competitive advantage for the season ahead.
Ferrari’s Italian reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi had been due to carry out Friday’s session in the SF15-T car. The spokesman said the lost day would be made up at some point in the future. Formula One is introducing bigger front and rear tyres this season but there has been concern for some time about how long it takes drivers to warm up the Pirelli wet weather tyres. The problems were highlighted at last season’s drenched and chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix in November, with Frenchman Romain Grosjean spinning his Haas into the wall on his way to the starting grid.
Pre-season testing for all 10 Formula One teams gets under way in Barcelona at the end of February with the championship starting in Australia on March 26.
Driving the 2015 SF15-T in artificial wet conditions, the four-time champion crashed into the barriers approaching the fast left-hander leading to hairpin on Ferrari’s private test track. The German was unharmed in the accident, but the damage to the car meant he did not return to the track.
Ferrari, who are simulating 2017’s expected higher down force levels on the two-year-old car, are due to complete a second day of testing on Friday. Although official pre-season testing does not begin until February 27, Thursday was the third time Ferrari has taken to Fiorano with their 2015 car this month. Last week Kimi Raikkonen and new third driver Antonio Giovinazzi focused on correlating simulator data with the track.
Pirelli were granted an extra test to trial their 2017 wet tyres which, like this year’s dry compounds, are around 25 per cent wider than last year’s. Ferrari will launch their 2017 car on February 24 with the Italian team to conduct the challenger’s initial shakedown in a filming day at Fiorano.
