Maybe no free tyre choice for teams to help Pirelli with production

Although the start of the season on the 5th of July in Austria does not seem to be holding back at the moment, it is a huge challenge for the parties involved to go there and race on the basis of the Covid-19 guidelines. Also for tyre supplier Pirelli, who due to their special position in the paddock is facing some specific problems.

Firstly, there is the question of whether the tyre manufacturer can produce sufficient tyres for the planned calendar. "We need to be 100% sure that we can deliver the tyres, otherwise the event cannot be organised," says Isola in conversation with Motorsport.com.

Possibly no tyre choices for the teams

Isola says that Pirelli still has tyres that were originally supposed to be used in the first races of the season, but if indeed fifteen to eighteen races are held in a few months, another 35,000 tyres will have to be produced. Isola doesn't know if that is possible yet.

To help Pirelli with this, the teams would be quite flexible in finding a solution. For example, there is talk about the idea of leaving the tyre choices that the teams normally make for each Grand Prix behind for the time being. Each team would then get the same amount of tyres from each compound.

Pirelli employees shielded

In addition, Pirelli has the problem that their people come into contact with every team. "I know the plan of Formula 1 to keep the teams like a 'bubble' to avoid contacts between the teams. The problem is that we are everywhere," says Isola.

Pirelli is not the only party struggling with this, also the FIA and some other suppliers will have to be present with several or all teams. Isola therefore suggests that all discussions within the teams should also be done by computer and that a shielded area be created in the garages for people from Pirelli.