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F1: Pirelli tires to be same for Formula 1 and GP2 series next year

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Khatir Soltani
From GMM

It has emerged that the tires supplied by Pirelli to Formula 1 teams next year will be in substantially the same specification as the ones raced in GP2.

2011 GP2 car shod on Pirelli F1 tires. (photo: WRI2)

Nick Heidfeld on Wednesday completed a two-day test at the wheel of an unbranded Toyota TF109; billed as the first outing for new F1 supplier Pirelli's 2011 prototypes.

But it has emerged that the tires were in fact first tested on a Dallara GP2 car recently.

The GP2 test in July, which took place at the Paul Ricard circuit, passed without much attention because it was not believed it had any connection with Pirelli's new F1 foray.

Alongside Heidfeld at Mugello this week was Ben Hanley, a British driver who has been at the wheel of a 2011-specification GP2 car, also shod with Pirelli's prototype tires.

"We are on target and we come away from this test with lots of data to analyse, which is exactly the situation we hoped to be in," said Pirelli's motor racing boss Paul Hembery.

Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
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