Leclerc tests Pirelli's without tyre warmers: 'First corners very tricky'

There may not have been a Formula 1 race last week, but F1 cars were being driven. The Barcelona circuit saw testing of the new tyres for Pirelli, which do not use tyre warmers. Charles Leclerc was positive about the new tyres but also stated that it is too early to draw further conclusions.

The plan is to start driving with these new tyres that do not require tyre warmers from 2024 as early as next year, an FIA spokesperson told GPblog. However, the teams are not waiting for this. There will be a meeting on the future of tyre warmers in Formula 1 in July.

Leclerc tests with new tyres

After the Spanish Grand Prix, Mercedes and Ferrari were once again in action at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, only this time for a tyre test. "I think it's too early, and I don't have all the answers for now. I have to say that in the conditions that I had during the test, it was good, and it went well. But yeah, in lower temperatures, I don't know. I haven't tested these tyres in lower temperatures, and that's where the big question mark is," Leclerc said at the press conference in Canada.

First few corners very tricky

By getting rid of the tyre warmers, tyres would have to be fully warmed up on the track. It is, of course, well known that cold tyres have much less grip in motorsport, so the first lap on new tyres can then be very tricky, which the Monegasque driver also confirms.

"You've got four or five corners where it's very tricky. Where the tyres need to get into temperature. When you are alone on the track, it is not that much of a problem. But of course, if you are racing other cars, then it becomes very, very difficult to manage. If it remains four or five corners, even in low conditions, then it's something that we could consider. But obviously, with very low conditions, I expect this to be much longer, this warm-up period, and this then could become difficult."