Asked by Bernie Ecclestone to develop more aggressive tires for 2011, Pirelli did just that, on the expense of increased tire wear. But while that may be perceived as bad news for the drivers, it's definitely going to spice up F1 a bit next season, as it will lead to multiple pit stop races.
Additionally, some drivers might enjoy some benefits from Pirelli's new tire structure, and the first racer that comes to mind is Button. Known to be one of the best drivers (if not the best) in Formula 1 when it comes to nurturing his tires, the Brit has already shared some positive impressions on the new Pirelli rubber following the Valencia test.
“I like the feeling of the tire,” he said on Thursday, as reported by Autosport. “It has a stable rear when you enter high-speed corners, you have a stable rear when you brake for low-speed corners, and that is something that I really do need with the car. I am happy with that step.”
Talking about the weak & strong points of the new tires, Button agreed that the degradation effect (especially on the soft compound) can be counteracted with adjustments to the car's balance. As a conclusion, he admitted that the 2011 season will be all about compromise, in order to get the most of the new tires.
“You want to be quick over one lap and you want to be quick over a long run, so there is always a bit of a compromise. It is whether you can get the compromise right or not.”
“The tire itself is obviously very different to the Bridgestone. I don't mean different in a bad way, it is just a different tire to drive. Over one lap it felt very strong and on a longer run with the super soft tyre you get degradation quite a bit.”
“But that is what we sort of expected and that is what the fans probably want – two different tires in a race that really stand out to be different. I think we will have that this year.”
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