Sourcing tires for F1 testing (and other uses)

[Richard C]

I can imagine there are multiple situations in which current teams may use/run F1 tires as provided by Pirelli. My list would be… Official testing (pre/post season), Race weekends, TPC and THC testing, Pirelli tire testing, Demonstration and Media running and lastly misc. other scenarios (such as factory pit stop practice, etc.). I would expect that for official testing and race weekends that “normal” tires are used. That for Pirelli tire testing, both a combination of current and potential future tires is used. I am mostly curious as to what is used/available for the other scenarios. Especially TPC and THC testing (which seems to be going on quite a bit right now) and Demonstration and Media running (might be the same thing).

For example, with current TPC and THC testing. What tires (compounds and construction) are made available? What types of special tires might be available (such as “exhibition” or “demo”) tires might exist that might look like race tires, but have different compounds (i.e. full wet tread, but with a more durable “general use” compound instead of the actual full wet compound). Does Pirelli pull from existing stocks (left over from prior manufacturing runs) or do they build up tires for testing on-demand (scheduled in advance via teams)? When F1/Pirelli have switched to a new construction, do TPC and THC testing use newer spec tires or do they build tires that might be using older construction to match what might have been used when the TPC/THC car was raced?

Lastly, (and less important, but maybe for completeness), for significantly older F1 cars, how are tires sourced (Pirelli or otherwise) be it for static display or actual running at events (demo, historic racing, track days, etc.)

In general the increased level of TPC/THC testing that teams are doing right now has caused me to wonder what tires teams are using for those tests and that drives many other questions around tire supply outside of normal race weekends and standard testing.

Thanks,
Richard

[Richard C]

I should have mentioned in my initial post that the sporting regulations call out the following scenarios...

TCC - Testing of current cars
TPC - Testing of previous cars (uses special tires)
THC - Testing of historic cars (uses special tires)
TCC (PE) - Promotional event with of current cars (uses special tires)
DE - Demonstration event (used special tires)
TMC - Testing of mule cars (uses special tires?)

Richard