F1 News-Vettel To Take Part In Pirelli’s 2020 Tyre Test

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel is all set to take part in 2020 Pirelli tyre test in Spain just days before Japanese Grand Prix

Scuderia Ferrari German driver Sebastian Vettel will have a chaotic schedule before the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka circuit, as the four-time world champion has been selected by the Italian side to take part in a Pirelli tyre test in the week of the race.

Though the Pirelli’s 2020 test programme officially came to an end in early September, with Mercedes in action at Paul Ricard, the Italian tyre manufacturer requested a further test in order to finalise the development of the 2020 compound.

Mercedes and Red Bull will join Ferrari at the Circuit de Catalunya-the venue for the Spanish Grand Prix, and the surface here is much more abrasive than Paul Ricard. Mercedes will run reserve driver and soon-to-be Renault driver Esteban Ocon in the test, while Red Bull will run their stimulator driver Jake Dennis.

“The target of the test is to finalise the development for 2020,” said Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola. We made a proposal to have an extra test to test a new compound with a wider working range, especially on the hard [tyre] levels. That is not possible in Paul Ricard – that was the last test in September – and, luckily, three guys were available to run the test, so we will have one day each, [for] Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull. That is a very good opportunity for us to finalise the product for next year.”

Ferrari has secured four pole position and three victories form the last four races, with Vettel taking the most recent win in Singapore. The German driver is a four-time winner at Suzuka for the Red Bull.

Pirelli’s Isola concluded: “We are grateful to the teams that accepted to test for us. I fully understand that it is a big effort of them to fit this tyre test into the calendar, which is very, very busy. It will be the same next year with an additional race, so we are finalising also the plan for next year.”