Sainz tests wet and intermediate tyres for Pirelli

Under a bright blue sky in Fiorano, Italy, Carlos Sainz is today testing the new rain tyres for the 2023 season for Pirelli. The aim is to have better compounds next year that are easier to use in wet conditions.

It was regularly noticed this season that drivers opted for the green intermediate tyres instead of the blue full wets in the rain. Even during the rain race in Japan, where teams were practically forced to use the full wets, intermediates were very quickly chosen again. The FIA announced after that race that the organisation would work with tyre supplier Pirelli to analyse how the full wets could be improved.

Part of that is a test day today. Sainz drives his Ferrari on the Fiorano circuit, a track Ferrari regularly uses as a test track, to test the new tyres. In the morning, it was still possible to make use of the wet conditions due to last night's rain but by now that water has surely disappeared and there is a crisp blue sky above the circuit, according to images shared by Ferrari on Twitter. Fortunately, the circuit has an automatic irrigation system to mimic rain conditions, so this will definitely be used.

This is not the only time these tyres will be tested. On Wednesday, Charles Leclerc will conduct a tyre test of intermediates and full wets at the same circuit. In addition, Robert Kubica ran a similar test in this year's Alfa Romeo car at the Paul Ricard circuit in France last weekend.