Pirelli back on track at Suzuka
After a spectacular Japanese Grand Prix last weekend, Formula 1 track action continues at Suzuka for a couple of days with a Pirelli tyre development test session. Supporting the blue riband category's sole tyre supplier, Pirelli, are Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber and Visa CashApp RB Formula One Team.
The work programme centred on comparing different compounds and constructions for next season, specifically finalising a decision on a new construction and a family of compounds aimed at significantly reducing overheating. One car from each of the two teams was on track today, driven by Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo.
Although the sun came out later in the day, early morning rain meant it was also possible to evaluate new rain tyre solutions, for both Intermediates and those for extreme conditions. It was a good opportunity, as the conditions were not right to try these out at the winter tests in Barcelona and Jerez.
The main purpose of the wet weather test was to identify solutions aimed at running the Intermediates without heating blankets, something already applied for the Extreme tyre at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, while also looking at reducing overheating with the extreme wet. This latter point is also on the development programme for slicks for next year and, here at Suzuka, a track that is particularly hard on tyres, work was carried out to identify the best solutions with the hardest compounds.
Early morning rain at the Japanese track meant that wet weather tyres were used in the first hour of the session. Valtteri Bottas in the C44 and Daniel Ricciardo in the VCARB01 did their first runs on new versions of the Cinturato Intermediate and Full Wet when air and track temperature were both around the 14 °C mark. Then, as from 10am, it was dry enough for slicks. Over the course of the day, the temperatures rose to 17 °C ambient and 29 °C track.
Bottas and Ricciardo completed 133 and 106 laps respectively (17 and 16 in the wet). The Finn's best time was a 1'34''002 and the Australian stopped the clocks in 1'34''815. Lap times are not significant as the tyre development programmes were different on both cars.
Valtteri Bottas (Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber): “Day one went smoothly from my side – we went through the entire plan of the day, and gathered lots of useful data about next year's tyres for Pirelli. The weather was a bit tricky in the morning after the heavy rains, but that actually worked out well as it allowed us to test the Intermediate tyres. Then, once the track was dry enough, we went through with our programme, doing several laps and testing different tyre compounds. Every time we are on track, it's also another opportunity for our entire crew to improve so, overall, it's been a good, productive day, with more to come tomorrow”.
Daniel Ricciardo (Visa CashApp RB Formula One Team): “A productive day with Pirelli, testing some 2025 compounds. Unfortunately, we had limited running this morning due to the weather conditions, but on a positive note, it allowed us to explore both wet and inter compounds which we don't often utilise. The afternoon programme went smoothly; we completed our run plan and were able to provide some constructive data to Pirelli – personally, it was nice to do a few laps of Suzuka after our race weekend”.
During the session, 12 different types of tyre were used, completing a total of 1200 kilometres. Testing continues all day tomorrow and the forecast for the Mie prefecture, which is home to the Suzuka circuit, is for sunny weather. Bottas will be back in the Sauber, while Yuki Tsunoda will be behind the wheel for Racing Bulls.
