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PIRELLI MEDIA INFORMATION 2011
c o n t e n t s
3
contentsWelcome
Pirelli and technology
Pirelli and the environment
The tyres in 2011
The tyre regulations
Tyre statistics
The key people
F1 teams and drivers
Pirelli in motorsport history
The road to F1 2011
Pirelli’s F1 highlights
GP2 Series
GP3 Series
WRC Academy
Pirelli in popular culture
The PZero road car tyres
Contacts
4681018202224263034363840424446
2011
4
Paul HemberyMotorsPort Director
“Welcome to the 2011 Formula one season, which is certainly going to be
a very memorable one for Pirelli: we hope that it will be a memorable one
for you as well. We come into this three-year agreement with two objectives.
Firstly, we want to help increase the spectacle and play an active part in
putting on what is one of the greatest shows on earth. Secondly, we want
to help the careers of young drivers, and that is why we have committed
to supply GP2 and GP3 with tyres as well as we create a ladder of talent
designed to take the stars of tomorrow all the way to the very top.
Pirelli has already been involved in motorsport for more than 100 years, and
we’re also renowned for making the world’s most sought-after Ultra High
Performance tyres.
But rather than looking at the past and present, our direction is very much
fixed upon the future. Formula One will allow us to demonstrate our state-
of-the-art high technology and know-how, which has always been at the
heart of our company. Our motorsport factory near Istanbul showcases some
cutting-edge techniques, but as always, it’s the people within Pirelli that make
this company special. We’re driven by passion and creativity, which is what
has brought us back to Formula One. Enjoy the season.
“
i n t r o
7
Pirelli & tecHnology
6
t e c h n o l o g y
PUnited States, while other innovative
measures such as CCM (Continuous
Compound Mixing) started operations,
backed up by Pirelli Labs: a research
centre for new technologies and
materials.
This has enabled Pirelli to expand
rapidly into developing markets such
as China, India and Russia. While
Pirelli is currently the fifth-largest tyre
manufacturer in the world in terms
of output, it is the undisputed world
leader when it comes to Ultra High
Performance tyres.
This rich background made the
move to Formula One a logical
progression, enabling the Italian
company to highlight its know-how
by developing a tyre from scratch
ready for the teams to test in less than
six months. Advanced methods such
as finite element modelling were
employed during the development
process, using bespoke computer
software to take into account all the
extreme parameters that were being
assessed. A Toyota TF109, modified
to simulate the 2011 regulations, was
used on the track to test the tyres,
enabling Pirelli to capture and analyse
data using the most recent techniques.
The result is a PZero tyre that
showcases the very latest technology
while being designed to entertain the
global Formula One audience. The
new PZero tyres have been specifically
formulated to last for approximately
100 kilometres, which should lead to at
least two pit stops per race.
It’s a different story for the extended
family of PZero road car tyres, which
combine performance with durability
over thousands of kilometres. But the
same sporting DNA is alive in both.
Pirelli operates at the cutting edge
of technology, which has formed part
of the company’s identity since it was
founded in 1872.
Innovations such as the Cinturato
radial tyre that emerged during the
1950s, the low-profile P7 tyre that
was born in the 1970s, and Pirelli’s
development of fibre-optic cable are
just three examples of the way that
the Italian firm has been at the
forefront of technology in a wide
variety of areas.
The company’s new Formula
One tyres have undergone a
comprehensive test campaign that
have taken them from Italy to the
Middle East, covering nearly 100,000
kilometres – the equivalent of about
300 grands prix – in just eight months.
The 50,000 Formula One tyres needed
for this year are manufactured at a
state-of-the-art facility in Izmit, Turkey
where Pirelli has been present for
50 years.
But it was only at the start of the
new millennium that Pirelli unveiled
the new MIRS production process, for
the fully automated manufacture of
high-performance tyres. These mini-
plants have been rolled out in Italy,
Germany, the United Kingdom and the
98
PIR
EL
LI
& T
hE
E
Nv
IRO
NM
EN
T
e n v i r o n m e n t
AAt the heart of Pirelli’s sporting
philosophy is green technology,
which covers every aspect of the
company’s business, from Formula
One down to the smallest road cars.
Pirelli’s state-of-the-art motorsport
production facility in Izmit, just outside
Istanbul in Turkey, operates to the most
stringent environmental standards,
ensuring that waste is kept to a
minimum and as many materials
as possible are recycled.
The processes used in Izmit are
based on energy and water efficiency
and the reduction of
dangerous emissions
like carbon dioxide.
Special attention has
been given to the
re-use of production
remnants and used
tyres. The waste
handling protocol
includes the recycling
of used Formula One
tyres for either the
generation of new primary material
or energy production.
Pirelli has traditionally led the
way when it comes to sustainability,
having eliminated aromatic oils from
all elements of its tyre production
processes long before legislation
demanded it and by supporting
community projects all over the world.
With the environmental agenda at
the forefront of motorsport and new
regulations designed to encourage
more efficient use of energy – such as
the KERS energy recovery system and
a move to smaller-capacity engines in
future – Pirelli is busy developing an
increasing number of environmental
technologies that are already
benefitting the everyday motorist.
Tyres with reduced rolling resistance
improve efficiency and longevity by
up to 20 per cent, while all of Pirelli’s
compounds, materials, structures
and tread patterns are developed in
equilibrium to guarantee a reduction
in noxious emissions and noise,
while improving economy, braking
distances and handling.
Formula One is Pirelli’s most
valuable mobile
laboratory, constantly
revealing new areas in
which efficiency can be
improved and pushing
the boundaries
of technologies in areas
that will eventually see
mass production. In line
with the Pirelli Group’s
Green Performance
strategy, Formula One
tyres have a pronounced natural
rubber content, avoiding the need for
damaging refinement procedures.
Pirelli’s attention to sustainability
is also shown by its recent
confirmation in the Dow Jones
Sustainability World Index, where
the group has been the leading
company in the ‘Autoparts and Tyre’
sector for four consecutive years.
Exactly the same thinking behind
Pirelli’s road car tyres applies to
Formula One: ultimate performance
need not come at the expense of
the environment.
TyREs wITh REDucED ROLLINg
REsIsTANcE IMPROvE
EFFIcIENcy AND
LONgEvITy by uP TO 20
PER cENT.
1 0
Compounds are described in terms of
‘hardness’ or ‘softness’. This doesn’t refer
to how hard or soft they are to touch,
because they all look and feel largely
the same to untrained observers.
Harder compound tyres will be more
durable than softer compound tyres,
meaning that drivers can complete a
greater number of laps before the tyres
lose performance and they are forced
to make a pit stop. However, the harder
compounds will provide less grip than
the softer compounds, meaning that
the driver will not be able to go as fast
on each lap. Softer compounds are also
quicker to warm up, especially in cold
ambient temperatures.
One of Pirelli’s aims is to make the
steps between the compounds quite
notable, in order to spice up the
racing and provide the best show
possible for spectators. The target is
for two pit stops at every race, allowing
Formula One’s mechanics to show off
their skills as well.
tHe tyres
2011in
t y r e s
tthis is what all the complex hours
of hard work have been about: six
Pirelli PZero tyres, the sole connection
between each of the 24 Formula One
cars on the grid this year and the 20
different circuits all over the world
that they will race on.
In accordance with the rules laid
down by the FIA, Pirelli will supply four
different compounds of dry tyre to all
the Formula One teams this year as
well as an intermediate tyre and a
wet tyre – both of which are available
in just one compound.
The compound of a tyre describes
the mix of materials that go into
its construction. More than 100
different components are used in the
manufacture of competition tyres
but the main ingredients are rubber,
carbon and mechanical oil. Varying
the relative amounts of these three
components will produce different tyre
compounds, each of which will have
different characteristics.
Dry tyres The tyres for dry
weather, known as slicks, have
a tread without any grooves
or channels and come in four
compounds: supersoft, soft, medium
and hard. The different compounds
are designed for a wide range of
circuits, depending on the type of
asphalt, the number and severity of
all the different corners and the speed
of the straights. This allows the teams
to choose between a number
of different tyre strategies.
The dry tyres all have a diameter
of 660 millimetres. The tread is 245
millimetres wide on the front tyres and
325 millimetres wide on the rear tyres.
1 1
Wet tyres The wet tyres, which
are characterised by grooves
in the tread pattern, come in
two types: full wet tyres, for rain,
and intermediates. The wet tyres
have deep grooves in them, with
channels designed to expel water
on full wet asphalt. Intermediates
have more shallow grooves, for
damp or slightly wet surfaces, as
well as mixed conditions.
wETTyREs
DRyTyREs
1 2 1 3
t y r e s
This is the softest tyre in the range and it is
designed to provide peak performance and
road-holding on slow and twisty circuits such as
Monaco and the Hungaroring. It gets rapidly up to
temperature even in cold ambient temperatures
and delivers extraordinary performance, but at
the cost of durability. If it were an athlete, it would
be a sprinter.
Paul Hembery says: “This tyre gives lots of grip,
over just a few laps. It’s a special compound,
which is quite distinct to the rest of the range, but
not exactly a qualifying tyre either. It probably
won’t be used as often as the other tyres, but it
will be devastatingly effective when it is.”
supersoft
t y r e s
This tyre is used on circuits with comparatively low
levels of tyre degradation. Soft tyres do not tend to
last as long as hard tyres, so they are frequently
used in qualifying and for short stints during a
race. They make a very good ‘option’ tyre and
are often used at the beginning of a race when
competitors need to be up to full speed instantly.
Paul Hembery says: “This tyre gets up to
temperature quickly and it’s very driveable. It
delivers everything you would expect a soft tyre
to do and it’s durable as well, with good balance
and grip. We concentrated on making sure that
this tyre fulfilled its brief as it is going to feature
heavily among our choices this year, although
most frequently as an ‘option’ tyre.”
soft
1 4
t y r e s
Along with the hard compound, this will be one
of the most commonly used tyres during Pirelli’s
debut season. It is a versatile tyre designed to
work well in a wide range of conditions and is
well suited to circuits with varying characteristics.
The medium has been deliberately engineered
to be a compromise tyre, but it is nonetheless a
tyre with its own distinct personality.
Paul Hembery says: “Reliability is the watchword
here. As you would expect, this tyre takes a little
longer to get up to temperature, but once it has
warmed up properly it is very versatile. This was
quite a complex tyre to develop, as it has to work
well under a wide window of track and weather
conditions.”
Medium
1 5
t y r e s
This is also a frequent choice, as it is a tyre
designed to provide the maximum endurance
in the toughest conditions. A hard tyre takes
longer to reach its peak operating temperature
than a softer tyre, so is best suited to longer stints.
Once the construction had been defined during
testing, the hard compound was actually one of
the first to be developed, before the soft, medium
and supersoft. If it were an athlete, it would be an
endurance runner.
Paul Hembery says: “At the opposite end of the
scale from the supersoft, this is a proper hard
tyre that is very durable but capable of good
performance at the same time. There are some
quite significant differences between the steps
now – which is exactly what the teams and the
governing body wanted. It’s great news for
the spectators, as these tyres can really bring
strategy into play.”
hard
1 6
t y r e s
These tyres have distinctive light grooves to
disperse water, but this reduces the contact patch
and leads to less grip on a dry track. When the
rain is heavy, drivers will switch to wet tyres. One
of the main areas of work when developing the
intermediate tyres was determining the crossover
point, which describes the point at which it
becomes more worthwhile to switch over to wets
and vice versa.
The intermediate tyres have a slightly smaller
diameter of 665 millimetres, as the car does
not need to be as high as would be required
for torrentially wet conditions. As for the dry
compounds, the tread is 225 millimetres wide at
the front and 325 millimetres wide at the back.
Paul Hembery says: “The intermediate tyres are
designed to work in a wide variety of situations,
as their role is much more versatile than those
of the wet tyres. This was actually one of the
most tricky tyres to develop, as it has to cover
a very wide range of operating conditions and
temperatures, which is why we finished off our
wet testing campaign in the relatively warm
conditions of Abu Dhabi.”
Intermediate
1 7
These tyres have deep grooves in them, similar to
a road car tyre, and are designed to expel more
than 60 litres of water per second at 300kph. A
road car tyre can only displace about 10 litres of
water per second, at much lower speeds. These
tyres are only used in extreme rain conditions.
The wet tyres have a bigger diameter of 670
millimetres, to raise the car and avoid standing
water, minimising the risk of aquaplaning. The
tread is 225 millimetres wide at the front and 325
millimetres wide at the back.
Paul Hembery says: “The strongest area of our
wet tyres is the amount of water that they
are capable of dispersing. The other notable
characteristic is the short time that the
soft compound takes to get up to operating
temperature. Both characteristics are vital when
it is raining hard. In the past year or so we seem
to have experienced an increased number of
wet races and they all tend to result in exciting
situations, so this is a very important tyre.”
wet
t y r e s
1 7
1 9
regulations
1 8
tt y r e s
the tyre regulations for the 2011
season are largely unaltered from
those of 2010, in order to provide the
teams with technical stability.
Unless it is a wet race, teams must use
two of the dry compounds (supersoft,
soft, medium, hard) at every event.
Pirelli will nominate in advance which
two of the four dry compounds it will
bring to each race – for example,
hard and soft for the first three races
this year. Unless it is a wet race,
teams must use both dry compounds
at every event.
One of the two compounds will
be theoretically better suited to the
circuit and the likely conditions, and
this is known as the prime tyre. The
regulations state, though, that at some
point in the race the teams will all
have to use the other tyre as well: this
is known as the option tyre. This year,
the PZero tyres will be visibly different
from each other with specially
coloured Pirelli logos so that people
can see instantly which tyre is which:
Wet – orange
intermediate – light blue
supersoft – red
soft – yellow
medium – white
hard – silver
The art of tyre strategy lies in working
out when is the best time to use each
tyre, bearing in mind the allocation
that each team is given. In total, every
car has 11 sets of dry tyres available
over the weekend (six prime and five
option) – but they can only be used
according to a certain schedule.
tyre allocation and rules: Drivers will
need to get the best out of their tyres
during five crucial periods: two free
practice sessions on Friday, one free
practice session on Saturday morning,
qualifying on Saturday afternoon, and
the race on Sunday.
The tyres are allocated to the teams
by the FIA, and each tyre is monitored
by the governing body using a barcode
system, ensuring that the teams stay
within the rules.
After arriving at the circuit drivers will
receive three sets of tyres (two prime, one
option) for the two free practice sessions
on Friday. They must return one set of the
prime specification after first practice
(P1), and the remaining two sets of prime
and option after second practice (P2).
They are then given a further eight
sets of tyres (four of each nominated
compound) for the rest of the weekend,
but one set of each specification must be
handed back after Saturday morning
practice, leaving the drivers with three
sets of each compound for qualifying
and the race.
The top 10 qualifiers are obliged to
start the race on the same tyres that they
set their fastest lap with.
During the race, the driver must use
at least one set of each compound. If he
doesn’t, he will be excluded. If the race
is suspended for any reason before a
driver has used both tyres, 30 seconds
will be added to his race total.
Wet races: Different rules apply if it is a
wet race, as drivers are not obliged to use
the dry tyres. In fact, if the race is started
behind the safety car, it is compulsory for
the drivers to use wet-weather tyres until
the safety car comes in.
i n t r ot y r e s
2 0
ThE PART OF ThE TyRE ThAT MAkEs
cONTAcT wITh ThE TRAck suRFAcE
cAN REAch A PEAk TEMPERATuRE
OF AROuND 130 cENTIgRADE. whEN
A FORMuLA ONE cAR Is TRAvELLINg AT TOP sPEED, ThE TyRE wILL ROTATE AROuND 50 TIMEs
PER sEcOND.
ty
re
st
At
ist
ics
l A total of 50,000 tyres will be produced
for the 2011 Formula One season at
Pirelli’s Izmit plant in Turkey, plus 30,000
for GP2 and GP3. In total, the dedicated
motorsport facility has an output of
200,000 tyres per year, which are also
used for one-make racing series, rallying
and motorbikes.
l One of the key requirements of Formula
One tyres is to be light, as well as strong
and competitive. A Formula One front
tyre weighs around eight kilogrammes,
but if standard construction techniques
for road car tyres were used, it would
weigh around 13 kilogrammes. The
rear F1 tyre, which weighs around nine
kilogrammes, would instead weigh about
15 kilogrammes.
l In total, including racing, rallying
and motorbikes, Pirelli produces more
than 200 different types of competition
tyre at Izmit.
l Nine tyre companies have participated
in Formula One throughout the 60-year
history of the championship. Prior to
the start of the 2011 season, Pirelli had
racked up 42 Formula One victories,
having participated between 1950-1957,
1981-1986 and 1989-1991.
l Excluding group tests with all the
teams, Pirelli completed 18,000 kilometres
of private testing – the equivalent of
around 55 grands prix – as the PZero tyres
were developed.
l Pirelli will take about 15 trucks and
50 people to every Grand Prix. The team
comprises people from nine nationalities
who between them speak 14 languages.
The truckies will cover around 30,000
kilometres over the course of the season.
2 1
2 2 2 3
PAul HeMbery
MotorsPort Director
Paul Hembery was born in Yeovil,
England, but also lives in Milan and
Cheltenham. After being educated in
the UK, he spent 20 years in the tyre
industry, working in research and
development before moving onto
a commercial role. He joined Pirelli
in 1992 and has been in charge of
motorsport for the last 11 years.
He masterminded Pirelli’s contract to
supply control tyres to the World Rally
Championship from 2008 onwards,
and was then behind the Italian firm’s
move to Formula One this year. Paul’s
role on-event is to oversee all aspects
of Pirelli’s operations in Formula
One and represent the company
as it consolidates its Formula One
programme into the future.
Pir
ell
i key PeoPle
p e o p l e
MArio isolA
rAcing MAnAger
Mario, born in Milan, started his
career in motorsport as a test driver
for Pirelli’s road car tyres, and the
sensitivity of his touch meant that
he was soon drafted into the R&D
division, designing road car tyres.
He successfully developed a range
of low-rolling resistance tyres and
winter tyres before heading over to
motorsport.
Mario was initially involved in
designing tyres for GT cars and then
managed Pirelli’s sportscar campaigns
in the FIA GT Championship – which
resulted in a championship win
in 2005. In 2006 he moved over to
rallying, overseeing Pirelli’s tenure
of the exclusive tyre supply contract
from 2008-2010, while also managing
Pirelli’s return to single-seater racing
in GP3. This year, Mario becomes
Pirelli’s Racing Manager, in charge of
day-to-day operations on the track for
Formula One, GP2 and GP3.
Piero losi
HeAD oF Design AnD ProDuct
DeveloPMent, ForMulA one
Piero joined Pirelli back in 1987
in the research and development
department for road car tyres,
starting to work within the pre-
development division from 1995.
As a passionate enthusiast it
wasn’t long before he made the
move to motorsport, where he headed
up Pirelli’s circuit racing department
from the end of 2001, working chiefly
in endurance racing series.
One year later he went back to
his first love of research and
development – but this time in
motorsport, looking at the latest
advances in competition tyres.
Piero has been involved in Pirelli’s
Formula One project from the very
beginning but he won’t be at all the
races this year as his team is already
working on the next generation of
Formula One rubber.
DArio MArrAFuscHi
HeAD oF MoDelling AnD
APPlicAtion engineering,
ForMulA one
Dario is Milan born and bred, having
studied engineering at university there.
After graduating he went straight
into Formula One, concentrating on
tyre development and various other
engineering roles, before heading up
Ferrari’s Formula One test team from
2006 to 2008 as trackside engineer. He
joined Pirelli at the end of that year as
circuit racing manager, overseeing all
of Pirelli’s track-based activities. In 2010,
Dario joined the growing R&D division
as it started work on the Formula One
project, specialising in modelling
and pre-development. As well as
keeping a close eye on the tyres for
this year, Dario will concentrate on the
future development of Pirelli Formula
One tyres according to the latest
regulations.
2 4 2 5
RED buLLFirst Grand Prix 2005
Seasons 6
Races 107
Wins 15
Championships 1
Drivers -
Sebastian Vettel (D),
Mark Webber (AUS)
MERcEDEs First Grand Prix 2010
Seasons 1
Races 19
Wins 0
Championships 0
Drivers -
Michael Schumacher (D),
Nico Rosberg (D)
McLARENFirst Grand Prix 1966
Seasons 45
Races 684
Wins 168
Championships 8
Drivers -
Lewis Hamilton (GB),
Jenson Button (GB)
LOTus RENAuLTFirst Grand Prix 1977
Seasons 18
Races 281
Wins 35
Championships 2
Drivers -
Nick Heidfeld (D),
Vitaly Petrov (RUS)
FERRARIFirst Grand Prix 1950
Seasons 61
Races 812
Wins 215
Championships 16
Drivers -
Fernando Alonso (E),
Felipe Massa (BR)
wILLIAMsFirst Grand Prix 1975
Seasons 36
Races 554
Wins 113
Championships 9
Drivers -
Rubens Barrichello (BR),
Pastor Maldonado (VEN)
2 0 1 1 t e a m s
F1 teams &driversFORcE INDIAFirst Grand Prix 2008
Seasons 3
Races 53
Wins 0
Championships 0
Drivers -
Adrian Sutil (D),
Paul di Resta (GB)
TEAM LOTus First Grand Prix 2010
Seasons 1
Races 19
Wins 0
Championships 0
Drivers -
Jarno Trulli (I),
Heikki Kovalainen (FIN)
sAubERFirst Grand Prix 1993
Seasons 18
Races 216
Wins 0
Championships 0
Drivers -
Kamui Kobayashi (J),
Sergio Perez (MEX)
hRTFirst Grand Prix 2010
Seasons 1
Races 19
Wins 0
Championships 0
Drivers -
Narain Karthikeyan (IND),
Vitantonio Liuzzi (I)
TORO ROssOFirst Grand Prix 2006
Seasons 5
Races 88
Wins 1
Championships 0
Drivers -
Sebastien Buemi (CH),
Jaime Alguersari (E)
vIRgINFirst Grand Prix 2010
Seasons 1
Races 19
Wins 0
Championships 0
Drivers -
Timo Glock (D),
Jerome d’Ambrosio (B)
2 6 2 7
rresearch, innovation, safety and
competition: these are the values
that have driven Pirelli since the
company’s birth in 1872 and inspired
the Italian firm to become the icon
that it is today. Pirelli’s industrial
and technological history has been
characterised since the early days by
constant technology transfer between
road and competition products, which
have been inextricably linked with its
motorsport successes.
The story started, strangely enough,
in China. Pirelli’s first major motorsport
victory was the 1907 Peking to Paris
race, an adventure that at the time
was regarded as a bit like attempting
to drive to the moon. Several people
said that the race was entirely
impossible – but Giovanni Battista
Pirelli, the company founder, was not
one of them.
Neither was Prince Scipione
Borghese, the well-known Italian
adventurer who would go on to win the
17,000-kilometre marathon with Luigi
Barzini and Ettore Guizzardi in a seven-
litre Itala running on Pirelli tyres. The
most incredible thing about his success
was that the car needed only four
tyre changes in total – and one of the
tyres actually went the entire distance
without needing to be changed,
before driving on from Paris to Milan
after the finish.
That success inspired the elongated
‘P’ logo that will be seen on all the
Formula One cars this year. But Pirelli’s
involvement in grand prix racing
actually dates back to the 1920s, before
the Formula One World Championship
was formally established, thanks to a
partnership with Alfa Romeo that saw
some of the legends of the time such as
Antonio Ascari and Giuseppe Campari
triumph on the Italian tyres. Pirelli’s
first world championship win came
in 1925, courtesy of Gastone Brilli Peri
in an Alfa Romeo P2.
Road racing was also a major part
of Pirelli’s sporting philosophy, with
several victories
in the iconic
Mille Miglia that
raced through
Italy, bringing the
whole country
to an excited
standstill.
But the real
glory days arrived
with the beautiful
Formula One cars
of the 1950s, and
drivers such as
Juan Manuel
buT ThE REAL gLORy DAys ARRIvED wITh ThE bEAuTIFuL FORMuLA ONE cARs OF ThE 1950s, AND DRIvERs such As JuAN MANuEL FANgIO.
P i r e l l i i n M o t o r s P o r t
hist ryh i s t o r y
1907
1950
1953
1955
Clockwise from top left: the 1907 Peking
to Paris race; Giovanni Battista Pirelli;
Ascari and Farina in 1950; Mille Miglia
1955; Antonio Ascari as a model in 1953
Fangio who have shaped the history of
the sport. During the early part of the
decade Pirelli was unbeatable,
sweeping up four world titles in total
with the last one being clinched by the
great Fangio in 1957: his victory from
the back in that year’s German grand
prix is reckoned by many to have been
the greatest drive ever.
Pirelli also triumphed in the Le
Mans 24 Hours in 1954, with Maurice
Trintignant and Jose Froilan Gonzalez
winning in a Ferrari 375 MM. Other
sportscar successes followed at the
equally well-known Sebring 12 Hours,
with Jean Behra and Fangio in a
Maserati 450S.
The competition wasn’t just limited
to four wheels, however. Since before
the turn of the century Pirelli had
2 8 2 9
1985
1983
Left: Nelson
Piquet at the
wheel of a
Brabham in
1985. Right:
Michael
Schumacher
emerged with
the Benetton
team in 1991.
Below left:
Nigel Mansell
used Pirelli
tyres on his
JPS Lotus in
1983. Below
right: Pirelli
has never
been afraid to
try something
different,
such as multi-
coloured tyres
on Gerhard
Berger’s
Benetton
in 1986.
1986
h i s t o r y
been supplying tyres to motorbike
racers, and by 1948 Pirelli-equipped
motorbikes had set more than 30
speed records.
After Pirelli withdrew from frontline
competition in 1957, the Italian tyres
raced mostly in the hands
of privateers.
In the 1970s, Pirelli came back to
motorsport through rallying, where
it has been represented ever since.
Pirelli won in the very first year of
the World Rally Championship in
1973, with Achim Warmbold and
Jean Todt taking a Fiat 124 to victory
in Poland. Consequent success led
to the company being asked to
develop a brand-new tyre for the fire-
breathing Lancia Stratos: a race car
for the stages capable of developing
250 horsepower. The radial tyre
with a wide tread pattern and low
sidewalls that resulted was the P7, a
development that preceded Pirelli’s
return to Formula One in the 1980s.
The company returned to the
forefront of grand prix racing in 1981
with the Toleman team, the same
outfit that would go on to give Ayrton
Senna his Formula One debut on Pirelli
rubber. Victories in France with Nelson
Piquet (Brabham-BMW) in 1985 and
in Mexico with Gerhard Berger
(Benetton-BMW) in 1986 – not to
mention innovations such as brightly
coloured tyres – formed the highlights
of Pirelli’s comeback, before a short
sabbatical while the Italian firm
developed the first PZero family of
tyres: a name that is still used today.
The final Pirelli victory in Formula
One came at the 1991 Canadian
Grand Prix,
won by Nelson
Piquet in a
Benetton-Ford
after a dramatic
race. Pirelli then
bowed out of
Formula One
at the end of
that season,
having racked
up a total of 42
victories from
200 starts.
ThE FINAL PIRELLI vIcTORy IN FORMuLA ONE wAs AT ThE 1991 cANADIAN gRAND PRIx, wITh NELsON PIquET AFTER A DRAMATIc RAcE.
1991
3 0 3 1
The GP3 Series announces
its technical partners for
its inaugural 2010 season,
with Pirelli revealed as the exclusive
tyre supplier to what will become
GP2’s feeder category. “We’re
delighted to be involved with the
launch of GP3, which represents
a re-entry for us into the world of
open-wheeled racing,” says Pirelli’s
Motorsport Director Paul Hembery.
With news of the Formula
One tyre supply being put
out to tender from 2011-2013,
Hembery meets with the company’s
senior management to consider
whether or not to put in an offer. After
a series of high-level meetings, the
Englishman is given the green light
to start putting together a proposal.
World motorsport’s governing
body, the FIA, announces
that Pirelli has been
appointed as official tyre supplier to
Formula One for the next three years,
starting from 2011. At the same time,
a similar agreement is announced
for GP2. The Italian firm immediately
starts work on preparing the
infrastructure needed to participate
in Formula One.
The very first Pirelli Formula
One tyre of the new era
emerges from the mould
in Milan, after eight busy weeks of
ThE ROAD TO F1
the road to Formula one for Pirelli has been long and challenging.
We chart below the individual steps of the italian firm’s return to the world’s
most prestigious motorsport category…
MAy 2009
APRIL 2010
24JuNE 2010
01Aug2010
computer simulation and design
work, starting with a definition of the
construction before moving onto
the compound. The tyre is part of
the batch that will be sent to Mugello
for the first tests.
Pirelli announces German
driver Nick Heidfeld as its
official test drivers and at the
same time reveals that it will use an
adapted version of the Toyota TF109,
to simulate current tyre regulations,
for on-track evaluation.
Nick Heidfeld takes to the
track in Mugello, just after
11am. It’s a historic moment.
“We are on target and we come
away from this test with lots of data to
analyse, which is exactly the situation
we hoped to be in,” says Paul Hembery.
While testing continues
apace at Paul Ricard and
Monza, Pedro de la Rosa is
appointed as Pirelli’s new test driver
after Nick Heidfeld secures a race
drive for the remainder of the 2010
season. Romain Grosjean also tests
the tyres at Monza.
wITh NEws ThAT ThE FORMuLA ONE TyRE suPPLy bEINg PuT OuT TO TENDER FROM 2011-2013, hEMbERy MEETs wITh ThE cOMPANy’s sENIOR MANAgEMENT TO cONsIDER whEThER OR NOT TO PuT IN AN OFFER.
14Aug2010
17Aug2010
23 sEPT2010
t i m e l i n e
3 2 3 3
Pedro de la Rosa gets his
first taste of Pirelli tyres in
Valencia and at the same
time the wet and intermediate rubber
is tried out for the first time on an
artificially-dampened track there.
The European phase of
private testing comes to an
end as the first evolution of
the soft and medium compounds that
all the teams will try out for the first
time following the Abu Dhabi Grand
Prix are signed off at Paul Ricard.
Toro Rosso’s Jaime
Alguersuari becomes the first
of this year’s Formula One
drivers to sample the new PZero tyres,
when he emerges from the pit lane in
Abu Dhabi shortly after 9am…
Pirelli receives positive
feedback from the teams
after the first group tests,
where Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso
emerges quickest. “We know that this
is only the first test, but we think that
we’ve passed it with full marks,” says
Hembery. Between them, the teams
complete more than 10,000 kilometres
over the two days.
hIsTORy Is MADE As PIRELLI bEcOMEs ThE FIRsT cOMPANy TO RuN A FORMuLA ONE cAR AT NIghT, IN wET cONDITIONs, AT ThE FINAL PRIvATE TEsT IN Abu DhAbI.
06 OcT
2010
11 NOv2010
20 NOv2010
19 NOv2010
with their brand new 2011 cars.
Robert Kubica emerges fastest
for Lotus Renault.
Pirelli announces the
tyre nominations for the
first four grands prix of
the season: the hard tyre will be
the prime and the soft tyre the
option for the opening races
in the Far East.
The grid lines up at the
Australian Grand Prix for
Pirelli’s return to Formula One
– and the 2011 season is finally go…
Pirelli completes its longest
test yet: five days and 3,000
kilometres in Bahrain, with
both de la Rosa and Grosjean driving.
This is despite a sandstorm that delays
proceedings.
History is made as Pirelli
becomes the first company
to run a Formula One car at
night, in wet conditions, at the final
private test in Abu Dhabi. Approximately
140,000 litres of water are used to
dampen down the track as Pedro de
la Rosa drives under the spotlights.
The first official test of the
2011 Formula One season
begins, with the teams getting
to sample a complete range of Pirelli
rubber for the first time at Valencia,
18DEc
2010
18JAN 2011
16FEb2011
27MAR2011
01FEb2011
t i m e l i n e
3 4 3 5
The 1913 French
Grand Prix was
held at the
fearsome Amiens
circuit on 12 July
and was won
by Frenchman
Georges Boillot in
a Peugeot – his
second consecutive
victory in his home
event. What made
it significant was
the fact that this
was Pirelli’s very
first international
grand prix win,
made even better
by the fact that
second-placed
Jules Goux was
also driving a
Pirelli-Peugeot.
The Monza circuit – a
mere half-hour drive
from Pirelli’s Milan
headquarters and one
of the most evocative
venues on the Formula
One calendar – was
inaugurated with the
1922 Italian Grand Prix. A
nation rejoiced when the
all-Italian line-up of Pietro
Bordino, Fiat and Pirelli
claimed the very first
victory on home territory.
1 2P
IRE
LL
I’s
hIg
hL
Igh
Ts
1 9 1 3 F R E N c h g R A N D P R I x
1 9 2 2 I T A L I A N g R A N D P R I x
F1
h i g h l i g h t s
For many, this is the
greatest grand prix drive
ever. Fangio decided to
use soft Pirelli tyres and
half a tank of fuel to get
past his rivals, who had
planned to run the entire
race in one go. But the pit
stop went wrong after one
of his mechanics made a
mistake, and the Maserati
driver emerged in third
place – which was not the
plan. He broke the lap
record nine times over the
next 10 laps to overhaul
Mike Hawthorn and Peter
Collins and score a
momentous victory. “I have
never driven that quickly
before in my life and I
think I never will again,”
he said afterwards.
Pirelli’s last grand
prix victory came
after a dramatic race
where Nelson Piquet,
driving a Benetton-
Ford, claimed the lead
from his old rival Nigel
Mansell on the final
lap. Fittingly, it was
Piquet who had also
taken Pirelli’s first win
when the company
returned to Formula
One in the 1980s.
3 51 9 5 7 g E R M A N g R A N D P R I x
1 9 9 0 u s g R A N D P R I x
1 9 9 1 c A N A D I A N g R A N D P R I x
Despite only being
associated with
smaller teams, Pirelli
came close to pulling
off a shock victory
after the Italian firm’s
renowned qualifying
tyres put five of its
teams in the top
10 on the grid. The
biggest upset was
second place for
Pierluigi Martini in
the Minardi, less than
two-hundredths of a
second off Gerhard
Berger’s pole time,
while Jean Alesi in
the Tyrrell was just
eight seconds
behind the mighty
Ayrton Senna at
the finish.
4
3 73 6
gp i r e l l i & g p 2
gP2 is a one-make single-seater
motor racing series launched in 2005
as a feeder to Formula One, featuring
26 identical cars. The chassis are
designed by Dallara and in 2011 will
run under the specification GP2/11,
reflecting the latest evolution of the
car. Power comes from a bespoke
V8 Renault engine. The GP2 Series
uses slick PZero Pirelli tyres in four
specifications (supersoft, soft, medium
and hard), which are nominated
by the Italian firm together with the
championship organisers in advance
of the race weekend. Each driver
has four sets of tyres per weekend
and must start the Sprint Race on
a fresh set. One wet specification is
also made available.
The GP2 Series is made up of nine
race weekends, each round consisting
of a single practice and qualifying
session followed by two races. The
races support Formula One grands
prix in Europe, starting with the
Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul in May
and finishing with the Italian Grand
Prix at Monza in September. The
geographical scope has been limited
to European venues in order to contain
costs for the teams. Likewise, the race
weekend format has been designed to
maximise track time and negate the
need for additional testing outside the
race schedule, which is restricted.
A race weekend is composed of one
half-hour practice session and one
half-hour qualifying session, followed
by two races. The qualifying session is
a straight fight for the fastest lap time,
and determines the order of the grid
for Race One. Two additional driver
points are awarded for pole position.
Race One is run over 170km or one
hour, and each driver must complete
one compulsory pit stop during which
a minimum of two tyres must be
changed. The top eight drivers score
points, with an extra point awarded to
the driver who sets the fastest race lap.
The grid for Race Two is determined by
the finishing order of the first race, with
the top eight positions reversed. Race
Two is run over 120km or 45 minutes,
with no pit stops allowed. The top six
finishers in Race Two score points,
and the driver who sets the fastest lap
scores one additional point.
The point for fastest lap in both
Race One and Race Two will only be
awarded to a driver who finishes in
the top 10, and who has started the
race from the grid.
ThE gP2 sERIEs usEs sLIck PZERO PIRELLI TyREs IN FOuR sPEcIFIcATIONs whIch ARE NOMINATED by ThE ITALIAN FIRM IN ADvANcE OF ThE RAcE wEEkEND. sERIEs
3 8
i n t r o
PPirelli has been proud to support the
GP3 Series since it began last year,
marking the Italian firm’s return to the
top flight of single-seater racing.
Designed to nurture young driving
talent for GP2 – the established
Formula One feeder category – GP3
follows the same basic rules and
principles as GP2: a single chassis
and engine with tightly controlled
technical regulations to ensure a
level playing field.
At each round, Pirelli will make
available three sets of slick tyres per
car for dry weather use and two
sets of wet tyres for wet weather use.
No modifications can be made to
the tyres, but they are designed to
achieve an element of degradation
to help the drivers’ learning process
and spice up the on-track action.
GP3 is made up of eight race
weekends, each consisting of a single
practice and qualifying session
NO MODIFIcATIONs cAN bE MADE TO ThE TyREs buT ThEy ARE DEsIgNED TO AchIEvE AN ELEMENT OF DEgRADATION TO hELP ThE DRIvERs’ LEARNINg PROcEss AND sPIcE uP ThE ON-TRAck AcTION.
followed by two races, following
the Formula One schedule. The
race weekend format has been
formulated to maximise track time
and negate the need for additional
testing outside the race schedule,
which is restricted. Points are
allocated in the same way as GP2,
with the aim of putting the spotlight
firmly on driving talent by improving
the skills and speed of the sport’s up-
and-coming stars.
Ten teams have signed up for
the GP3 Series, each running three
identical Renault-engined
Dallara chassis.
Pirelli supplies three slick
compounds to the GP3 Series
(soft, medium and hard) along
with one wet tyre, which are again
nominated for each round in
advance in collaboration with
the championship organisers.
p i r e l l i & g p 3
3 9
sERIEs
4 1
sERIEs4 0
academyWrc
Hp i r e l l i & W r c
ThE sTAR DRIvER schEME PROvIDEs ThE OPPORTuNITy FOR sIx yOuNg cOMPETITORs FROM DIFFERENT cOuNTRIEs TO TAkE PART IN ThE wRc AcADEMy ThANks TO A FuLLy-FuNDED DRIvE FROM PIRELLI.
Having competed in the World Rally
Championship since the series began
in 1973, the Italian firm is still involved
today through the WRC Academy –
and just as is the case in single-seater
racing, one of the priorities will be to
bring on the careers of young drivers.
Taking on board the best aspects of
the Junior World Rally Championship
and Pirelli Star Driver scheme, the
WRC Academy will be contested by
aspiring drivers on six rounds of this
year’s World Rally Championship, for
which Pirelli was the exclusive tyre
supplier from 2008-2010.
Academy participants will
compete in low-powered identical
cars, run to a strict budget and
technical regulations. Pirelli has
been a long-term backer of up-
and-coming rally talent and has
demonstrated its commitment by
supporting the Pirelli Star Driver
scheme again this year. The
programme provides an opportunity
for six young competitors from
different regions to take part
in the WRC Academy thanks to
a fully funded drive from Pirelli.
Pirelli will supply asphalt and
gravel-specification tyres to the
WRC Academy, which like GP2 and
GP3 is designed as a stepping-stone
to the premier class.
Pirelli supplied the
WRC exclusively
from 2008-2010
In 2011 Pirelli
will equip the
WRC Academy
4 2 4 3
nnot many companies would be able
to persuade the divine Sophia Loren
to take most of her clothes off – at the
age of 72. But the diva’s decision to
pose semi-naked for the 2007 Pirelli
calendar demonstrates that the Italian
company is not just a tyre firm, but also
an international icon.
Not only is Pirelli well known for the
calendar, but also for its PZero fashion
range, represented by the corporate
uniforms you will see in the Grand Prix
paddock. There is also its sponsorship
of the FC Internazionale football
team, as well as different charitable
foundations all over the world.
When Giovanni Pirelli founded his
tyre and cable company in 1872, he
employed only 45 people. He would
probably have never guessed that
his outfit would grow to become
part of Italy’s social fabric, thanks
to some legendary tyres such as the
‘Stelvio’ – named after a tortuous
Italian mountain pass – and the ‘Stella
Bianca’, which means ‘white star’ in
Italian. The public awareness of these
tyres was reinforced through colourful
advertising campaigns that made
full use of the stars of the day. “Once
PIR
EL
LI
IN
PO
Pu
LA
R
cu
LTu
RE
I used to drive on Pirelli Stelvio tyres,”
proclaimed Juan Manuel Fangio from
one poster in 1965. “Today, I’ve got the
Cinturato on my car. It’s a tyre that’s
truly different to the others. What’s
most surprising is the absolute driving
precision. Extraordinary.”
But the Pirelli calendar is still one of
the concepts most closely associated
with the Italian brand. The very first
calendar in 1963 simply featured
models from Pirelli’s key markets
with images of tyres superimposed
on them. But after this low-key start,
Robert Freeman – who famously
photographed the Beatles – changed it
completely with his shots of models on
the beaches of the Cote d’Azur.
The calendar was discontinued in
1974 because of the global
recession due to the oil crisis,
and it took 10 years for it to
be resurrected. It didn’t take
long for ‘the cal’ to become
a legend, establishing itself
as a mainstay of the Pirelli
brand and a collectors’ item
all over the world, with a
strictly-limited run of 40,000
copies per year.
Photographers have
included Herb Ritts, Richard
Avedon, Mario Testino
and Patrick Demarchelier.
Supermodels who
have appeared in the
calendar include Cindy
Crawford, Kate Moss,
Helena Christensen and
Bianca Balti. Last year, the
calendar was launched by
Karl Lagerfeld in Moscow.
Following the theme of classical Greek
and Roman mythology, it was simply
called ‘mythologies’.
But Pirelli also connects with its
customers on a day-to-day level
through its sponsorship of the FC
Internazionale football club, one of
the most popular teams not only in
Italy, but also the world. The fortunes of
‘Inter’ are debated across the counter
of every bar in Italy, from the most
exclusive cocktail establishments
in city centres to rustic cafes in the
middle of nowhere.
The association between Pirelli
and FC Internazionale has existed
since 1995 and it goes way beyond
just a name on a shirt. Together,
Pirelli and FC Internazionale have
created the ‘Inter Campuses’
charity scheme. This idea,
which started off in Italy
and then spread to the
rest of the world, aims
to help underprivileged
children by giving them
a start in academic and
sports education.
Similarly, the PZero fashion
range is not just about
clothes. There are watches,
belts, bags and shoes,
favoured by celebrities
ranging from Rupert
Everett to Naomi Campbell.
Pirelli’s core product
will always be tyres, and
the ultimate expression of
that art is Formula One.
But there is so much more
going on behind
the scenes…
c u l t u r e
ThE PIRELLI cALENDAR
Is sTILL ONE OF ThE cONcEPTs
MOsT cLOsELy
AssOcIATED wITh ThE ITALIAN bRAND.
roAD cAr tyres
tHe
4 4
TPZero troFeo
Classified as a motorsport tyre but
still road legal, the Trofeo is the
most focussed of Pirelli’s products
that can be used on the road. Using
the technology acquired while
developing Pirelli’s World Rally
Championship tyre for asphalt, this
is the closest that drivers can get to a
Pirelli motorsport tyre while remaining
on the right side of the law.
PZero corsA
Another innovative product from
the Pirelli Ultra High Performance
range, intended for serious sports
drivers who regularly take their
cars on circuits. This tyre,
developed from Pirelli’s motorsport
activities, combines exceptional
steering precision with excellent
braking and good performance
in the wet.
the name PZero, used in the highest categories of single-seater racing,
also describes a family of Ultra High Performance tyres for the road.
The key to PZero technology is the patented PZero system, which uses
directional tread at the front axle and asymmetric tread on the rear.
Using directional tyres on the front maximizes the expulsion of water.
In this way the asymmetric tyres fitted on the rear axle encounter a
drier surface, adding up to a unique driving experience.
o n t h e r o a d
PZero
The PZero is the benchmark for high-
performance tyres, setting the standard
in every key area: road-holding, grip,
braking and traction. Such is the
amount of technology behind its design
that the PZero and its asymmetric tread
pattern is protected by five exclusive
patents. The structural integrity of the
tyre improves steering response and
also ensures uniform tread wear while
enhancing driver feedback.
PZero nero
The PZero Nero benefits from a high-
performance ‘racing’ compound, with
reduced temperature sensitivity and
fast cornering action. The tread design
has been developed to offer excellent
levels of grip and road-holding, as well
as reduce the risk of aquaplaning.
PZero rosso
The PZero Rosso is renowned as one
of the most comfortable sports tyres to
come out of Italy. It represents a perfect
compromise between performance
and luxury, while still maintaining the
highest levels of water expulsion and
lateral rigidity.
4 5
bORN OuT OF PIRELLI’s MOTORsPORT AcTIvITIEs, ThE PZERO cORsA Is MADE wITh A RAcINg-sTyLE cOMPOuND.
For further information about Pirelli in Formula one, please contact:
on-site:
Alexandra schieren +33 607 03 69 03
Anthony Peacock +44 7765 896 930
italy:
Francescopaolo tarallo +39 334 68 44 307
gloria cagliani +39 331 18 51 703
copyright-free video news releases, as well as photographs and films,
are available for media use from: www.pirelli.com/f1
c o n t a c t s
design by www.breckenridgedesign.co.uk
4 6
