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TEAM TALK

Pirelli's Home Event

Letter from SWRT
3 October 2004

Rally Italia Sardinia is Pirelli's home event and presents a unique new set of challenges. The route takes in a wide variety of surfaces and speeds but the majority of the action takes place on soft gravel stages, which require a carefully developed bespoke tyre in order to achieve maximum performance. Pirelli's Motorsport Director, Paul Hembery, talks about what it takes to prepare and choose the ideal tyre for the Sardinian conditions:

How would you describe the stage conditions on this rally?

The predominant stage surface has a hard-packed base with coating of light gravel that's almost sandy in places. They're very abrasive and certainly unique to the Championship.

How did Pirelli prepare for this event?

As an Italian company we have significant experience of the national championship events in Sardinia, and we were able to use the knowledge we've built up to help with our selections here. As you'd expect we've also done some testing in representative conditions as part of our regular development programme.

What are the critical factors for a good tyre in these conditions?

There are three main elements: First, the tread pattern, which has to do a good job of clearing the loose gravel from the surface. Secondly, due to the hard base here, the compound must be right to provide the grip. On some gravel events the tread, and clearing the road, is the biggest factor but here you must clear the surface and let the tyre grip the hard surface underneath. Thirdly it's about wear resistance, the stages are abrasive and you need to strike the right balance between compound grip performance and its resistance to wear.

Is it harder to find the right compromise between performance and durability here than anywhere else?

No, we face similar issues on rallies like Greece and Turkey, the only difference here is that we don't have too much experience of this specific rally, so the chances of making an error are increased. No matter how much preparation you make there are always elements that you cannot foresee. Until you've got Petter in the car and on the stage, you can never be sure.

TEAM TALK Pirelli's Home Event Letter from SWRT 3 October 2004 Rally Italia Sardinia is Pirelli's home event and presents a unique new set of challenges. The route takes in a wide variety of surfaces and speeds but the majority of the action takes place on soft gravel stages, which require a carefully developed bespoke tyre in order to achieve maximum performance. Pirelli's Motorsport Director, Paul Hembery, talks about what it takes to prepare and choose the ideal tyre for the Sardinian conditions: How would you describe the stage conditions on this rally? The predominant stage surface has a hard-packed base with coating of light gravel that's almost sandy in places. They're very abrasive and certainly unique to the Championship. How did Pirelli prepare for this event? As an Italian company we have significant experience of the national championship events in Sardinia, and we were able to use the knowledge we've built up to help with our selections here. As you'd expect we've also done some testing in representative conditions as part of our regular development programme. What are the critical factors for a good tyre in these conditions? There are three main elements: First, the tread pattern, which has to do a good job of clearing the loose gravel from the surface. Secondly, due to the hard base here, the compound must be right to provide the grip. On some gravel events the tread, and clearing the road, is the biggest factor but here you must clear the surface and let the tyre grip the hard surface underneath. Thirdly it's about wear resistance, the stages are abrasive and you need to strike the right balance between compound grip performance and its resistance to wear. Is it harder to find the right compromise between performance and durability here than anywhere else? No, we face similar issues on rallies like Greece and Turkey, the only difference here is that we don't have too much experience of this specific rally, so the chances of making an error are increased. No matter how much preparation you make there are always elements that you cannot foresee. Until you've got Petter in the car and on the stage, you can never be sure.