From GMM
Pirelli's 2011 tyres are "very different" to the Bridgestones of last year and should contribute to "more interesting" races.
That is the view of Pedro de la Rosa, the Italian marque's test driver who this week wound up Pirelli's private tyre development programme after four days in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking to Barcelona radio Rac1, the Spaniard confirmed reports that the Pirellis have been designed to improve F1's show and are "very different" to departed Bridgestone's.
"The races will be more interesting, because they have designed a tyre for the show -- especially the super soft which is very fast but also has a very big degradation," he said.
Pedro de la Rosa added that he thinks the outcomes of the races will be "more open" with each driver making "2 or 3 stops per grand prix" in 2011.
But he played down speculation that the new tyres, combined with adjustable rear wings and the return of KERS, will mean that qualifying is far less important than before.
"Qualifying will always be 70 per cent of the outcome of the race," said de la Rosa.
"Of course, it is true that the difference between the first and the second choice of compounds is very large. So those who start further back than eleventh will have a chance to fight for points because the harder tyre will last much longer than the soft. But that's only speculation," he warned.
Pirelli's 2011 tyres are "very different" to the Bridgestones of last year and should contribute to "more interesting" races.
That is the view of Pedro de la Rosa, the Italian marque's test driver who this week wound up Pirelli's private tyre development programme after four days in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking to Barcelona radio Rac1, the Spaniard confirmed reports that the Pirellis have been designed to improve F1's show and are "very different" to departed Bridgestone's.
"The races will be more interesting, because they have designed a tyre for the show -- especially the super soft which is very fast but also has a very big degradation," he said.
Pedro de la Rosa added that he thinks the outcomes of the races will be "more open" with each driver making "2 or 3 stops per grand prix" in 2011.
But he played down speculation that the new tyres, combined with adjustable rear wings and the return of KERS, will mean that qualifying is far less important than before.
"Qualifying will always be 70 per cent of the outcome of the race," said de la Rosa.
"Of course, it is true that the difference between the first and the second choice of compounds is very large. So those who start further back than eleventh will have a chance to fight for points because the harder tyre will last much longer than the soft. But that's only speculation," he warned.