Pirelli are ultimately a "victim" of the move to 18" rims, projected before the 2022 season even started, was how it would narrow the operating sphere, and take a premium in just how the suspension design and execution would ask very searching questions of each team. It did just come out like that, in all reality. Possibly an higher absolutely peak, but often rarely available across the necessary bandwidth to make them truly successful.Emag wrote: ↑08 Nov 2025, 17:19This car (and the 2024 car also to an extent) is like an anti SF24. They're maybe overheating tires by default, so they need ambient temps to be a little cool to balance it out. In any case, I expect Mercedes to be stronger today & tomorrow just due to conditions. They could get a win here.
But honestly, Pirelli tires have been pure voodoo for a while now, but this year in particular, they just make no sense. I literally hate these tires because they ruin the sport. The only way to consistently win is If you somehow manage to understand what the heck is going on with these tires and figure out how to put them in the optimal window. They're just all over the place. What makes sense in one race, is thrown out of the window in the next one.
Primarily, the increased wheel weight that resulted, is causing a reduction of tyre mass in mitigation of the overall total weight. These are so, relatively thin, with the absolute minimum of tread gauge being part of the whole, that temperature variables and sensitivity to that become very critical. That operational "bracket" contracts hugely in comparison to the 13" setup. There's no real way around it .... when asked to perform at their extreme envelope of traction etc. Fall away just a small amount from that ideal, we can all see what happens.
Imperfect geometry, then that too is punished by pointing to the latent faults within suspension and how it presents the tyre to the track surface. As we've seen, this exposes those lacking the technical gravitas to take that fully on board.
There's really and absolutely no where to hide in this era. No pudgy 13" tyre to save face with by deformity in load, tyres with high surface area to mass ratio that are extremely difficult to pull into the "zone" of ideal, then not go far past that target OR fall back out and below same.
Its a joke really, supposedly to follow street car sizing and promote that element, when even the most mundane cars are now on 18 inch rims. It's just as intransigent in road vehicles with the move up into the 20s too, absolutely style over competent function.
Formula one gave itself a question that the majority simple can't answer in all reality.
