The tire maker has already enjoyed a successful start at Abu Dhabi, taking part in two official two-day tests.
“Our P Zero medium slicks have passed the tests with full marks, from start to finish,” says Pirelli racing manager Mario Isola.
“This is a very positive result if we consider that this was the first time that the GP2 drivers had the chance to try the new rubber. The demanding features of this track tend to have a strong impact on tires and the medium slicks proved to be up to the challenge,” he reports.
“Adding to the demands of the Yas Marina Circuit was the uncertain weather that characterized these tests from start to finish. However, our P Zero medium slicks showed themselves to be very versatile, ensuring safety and performance despite some very complicated track conditions,” Isola says.
“We decided to bring our medium compound to these pre-season tests as this will be the one to be raced in the upcoming rounds. We were looking forward to completing these first tests and seeing how our medium tires behaved. We have already successfully completed several private tests, but when it comes to group testing, things can turn out to be more complicated,” he explains.“On private tests, tires are tested using a single car on a green track. During group tests, there are 26 cars using our tires and the track characteristics can change after a few laps. This makes a big difference in terms of grip, but the P Zero medium tires lived up to our expectations,” Isola continues. “They performed very well, ensuring durability and high levels of grip especially in the first laps. The feedback from drivers and teams was excellent and we are all looking forward with confidence to getting back on track in a few days when the 2011 GP2 Asia season will commence.”
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