Pirelli expects Bahrain Grand Prix lap times to be the same as last year despite changes aimed at slowing the cars for 2021.
While a lot of parts have been carried over from 2020, teams have been working on new floor and diffuser designs after the layout was altered with the goal of cutting downforce.
Initially, it was thought this would make this year’s cars around half a second at least slower than last season, but based on testing, Pirelli chief Mario Isola says: “The difference compared to last year is very, very, very small.
“I’ve tried to make some calculation on the lap times compared to last year and that’s why I’m telling you that.
“If we consider that probably the track was not in perfect condition, plus the reduction in downforce and the fuel level, I believe that we are not going to see a delta lap time or a difference in performance compared to last year.”
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The main reason for this, the Pirelli chief explains, is teams recouping much of the lost grip that the floor changes were intended to deliver.
“I believe that compared to the original plan to have a downforce reduction in the range of 10 percent, the teams were working around the modifications and the current situation is probably a downforce reduction in the range of four to five percent,” said Isola.
“I’m not surprised by the amount of downforce they have been able to recover even before the start of the season because we know that they are very good at doing that.
The reason for making the changes was fears the ever-increasing speeds would make the Pirelli tyres, which were the same as used in 2019, unsafe.
As a result, it was also decided to introduce a new tyre for 2021 which, while initially unpopular, Isola thinks has been justified.
“I’m also happy that we decided last year, together with the FIA, F1 and the teams to work in two parallel directions: one to reduce downforce on the cars and the other to find a [tyre] construction that is able to cope with the additional loads that are probably going to happen in the second part of the season,” he added.
“So despite the difficult situation we had with COVID, we took the right decision and, working in parallel, we have now a product that is more robust and cars that are probably as fast as last year.”