Pirelli report card from Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain

Monday, 03 March 2014 at 11:23

The results of the final test showed an increased performance gap between the hard and the medium compound, and the medium and the soft compound: the two combinations of tyres that will be used at the first four races. This will give plenty of scope for the teams to formulate interesting strategies to boost their race prospects.

The characteristics of the 2014 P Zero tyre range were in line with expectations in Bahrain, maintaining similar performance to last year but with less degradation. There was no blistering and very little graining, underlining the performance of the latest compounds so far in a wide range of conditions. There was also a reduction in tread wear levels.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director:

“The information gained over all three pre-season tests has helped us to come up with the tyre choices for the start of the season, having run with the new 2014 tyres in all conditions now: ranging from rain in Jerez to ambient temperatures exceeding 25 degrees centigrade in Bahrain. The conclusion we can draw so far is that the 2014 tyres are more consistent and wear less than their predecessors, without compromising performance.

We’re also meeting another of our objectives with one more step towards the reduction of ‘marbles’ on the track. The Medium and Soft compounds are well matched to the expected race conditions in Australia, Bahrain and China, providing what we expect to be the right balance between performance and strategy with two to three pit stops per car. The more abrasive and hotter conditions of Malaysia have led us to nominate the Hard and Medium compounds there, as we did last year.”

Testing Facts:

As expected, the teams completed the biggest distances seen yet during the final pre-event test in Bahrain. A total of 3307 laps was covered over the four days, compared with 2322 at the previous Bahrain test.

Teams had a maximum of 30 sets of tyres per car to test in Bahrain. Pirelli chose 22 of those sets and the teams were then able to choose (in advance) the remaining eight sets, up to their maximum permitted total of 30. In total, 135 sets of tyres are allowed per team for testing purposes throughout 2014.

The performance differences seen in the second Bahrain test between the compounds are approximately as follows: the Super-soft is around 0.7 seconds per lap faster than the Soft, the Soft is around 1.3 to 1.5 seconds per lap quicker than the Medium, which is around 1.3 to 1.5 seconds per lap quicker than the Hard. These gaps are expected to come down as the teams improve their understanding of the tyres during the season.

More Testing Facts:

The total testing distance completed so far this year, combining Jerez and both Bahrain tests is 7,099 laps and 36,974 kilometres. This time last year, the teams had completed 10,902 laps and 49,942 kilometres of pre-season testing (Jerez and two Barcelona tests 2013 combined).

Williams driver Felipe Massa set the fastest lap of this Bahrain test, with a time of 1m33.258s on Saturday with the P Zero Red Super-soft. By way of comparison, the fastest lap in Bahrain at the previous test last week was 1m33.283s, set by Nico Rosberg (Mercedes). The fastest race lap at the Bahrain Grand Prix last year was 1m36.961s, set by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel. Pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix last year was 1m32.330s, also set by Rosberg.

The highest number of total laps completed at this year’s Bahrain test by any one driver was 236 laps from Valtteri Bottas (Williams). Force India driver Sergio Perez set the second-highest total, at 213 laps.

Testing numbers:

Total number of sets brought to Bahrain: 341 sets which equals 1,364 tyres

of which Super=soft tyres: 14 sets
of which Soft tyres: 61 sets
of which Medium tyres: 139 sets
of which Hard tyres: 94 sets
of which ‘winter’ hard tyres: 28 sets
of which Intermediate tyres: 3 sets
of which Wet tyres: 2 sets

Total amount of sets used: 319

of which Super-soft tyres: 31 sets
of which Soft tyres: 83 sets
of which Medium tyres: 172 sets
of which Hard tyres: 30 sets
of which ‘Winter’ tyres: 3 sets
of which Intermediate tyres: 0 sets
of which Wet tyres: 0 sets

Longest run:

19 laps on the Super-soft compound
22 laps of the Soft compound
24 laps on the Medium compound
18 laps on the Hard compound
2 laps on the ‘Winter’ compound
0 laps on the intermediate compound
0 laps on the Wet compound

Highest / lowest ambient temperature over four days: 30 °C / 22 °C
Highest / lowest track temperature over four days: 39 °C / 25 °C

Testing Times:

Day 1

1.	S Perez	Force India	1m35.290s	Soft New
2.	V Bottas	Williams	1m36.184s	Medium New
3.	K Raikkonen	Ferrari	1m36.432s	Soft Used
4.	N Rosberg	Mercedes	1m36.624s	Soft Used
5.	A Sutil	Sauber	1m37.700s	Soft New
6.	K Magnussen	McLaren	1m37.825s	Soft Used
7.	D Ricciardo	Red Bull	1m37.908s	Medium New
8.	M Chilton	Marussia	1m38.610s	Soft New
9.	D Kvyat	Toro Rosso	1m39.242s	Soft Used
10.	P Maldonado	Lotus	1m40.599s	Medium New
11.	K Kobayashi	Caterham	1m42.285s	Medium New

Day 2

1.	S Perez	Force India	1m35.570s	Soft New
2.	F Alonso	Ferrari	1m35.634s	Soft New
3.	D Ricciardo	Red Bull	1m35.743s	Soft New
4.	F Massa	Williams	1m36.507s	Medium New
5.	J Button	McLaren	1m36.901s	Medium New
6.	J Bianchi	Marussia	1m38.092s	Soft New
7.	L Hamilton	Mercedes	1m39.041s	Medium New
8.	J-E Vergne	Toro Rosso	1m39.636s	Medium New
9.	E Gutierrez	Sauber	1m39.976s	Supersoft U
10.	P Maldonado	Lotus	1m41.613s	Medium New
11.	M Ericsson	Caterham	1m42.516s	Soft Used

Day 3

1.	F Massa	Williams	1m33.258s	Supersoft New
2.	N Rosberg	Mercedes	1m33.484s	Supersoft New
3.	K Raikkonen	Ferrari	1m35.426s	Supersoft New
4.	K Magnussen	McLaren	1m35.894s	Soft New
5.	D Kvyat	Toro Rosso	1m36.113s	Supersoft New
6.	N Hulkenberg	Force India	1m36.205s	Supersoft Used
7.	J Bianchi	Marussia	1m37.087s	Supersoft New
8.	M Ericsson	Caterham	1m38.083s	Supersoft New
9.	R Grosjean	Lotus	1m42.166s	Medium New
10.	A Sutil	Sauber	no time
11.	S Vettel	Red Bull	no time

Day 4

1.	L Hamilton	Mercedes	1m33.278s	Soft Used
2.	V Bottas	Williams	1m33.987s	Soft New
3.	F Alonso	Ferrari	1m34.280s	Supersoft New
4.	N Hulkenberg	Force India	1m35.577s	Supersoft New
5.	J-E Vergne	Toro Rosso	1m35.701s	Supersoft New
6.	A Sutil	Sauber	1m36.467s	Supersoft New
7.	M Chilton	Marussia	1m36.835s	Supersoft New
8.	E Gutierrez	Sauber	1m37.303s	Supersoft New
9.	S Vettel	Red Bull	1m37.468s	Soft Used
10.	J Button	McLaren	1m38.111s	Medium New
11.	K Kobayashi	Caterham	1m38.391s	Soft New
12.	R Grosjean	Lotus	1m39.302s	Soft New