Pirelli has confirmed that teams will get four sets of tyres per day when for its initial test session in Abu Dhabi on Friday and Saturday.
Each team will run one car – mostly with their race drivers – and will have the chance to try the soft and medium compounds from the company’s new range. Pirelli will have a team of 30 in Abu Dhabi, and will conduct shared briefings and debriefings with all the teams.
Pirelli has also confirmed that it will run its Toyota TF109 programme in Bahrain next month, giving it a useful opportunity to run in hot conditions.
“We come to these tests with plenty of confidence and satisfaction with our work carried out so far,” said Pirelli motor sport director Paul Hembery. “The tests in Europe have given us all the data we needed at this current phase of development. From tomorrow, the drivers and engineers from every team will give us their opinions and feedback, which are of vital importance for the second phase of testing: a challenge that we are already well-prepared for.”
Adam Cooper F1 
I’m surprised that Pirelli is not running it’s own test car/programme alongside the current teams at the test this week. Surely that would have given them a good baseline as to exactly where their car/driver combination is to be able to better understand their later test results.
That’s an excellent point, especially as they are shipping the car to Bahrain anyway…
Can you ask Pirelli why they are not doing so? Would be interesting to know if they had considered it and if so why they did not see the value.
From McLarens comments when they announced their race drivers wouldnt take part its fairly clear (or Im having a 2+2=17 moment) that Pirelli have already determined the required changes from their private testing but havent implemented them in time for this test.
If they are having another private test next month then it seems reasonable that their next batch of development tyres will be ready by then. The Middle East is pretty much the only place they can test in December and have (almost) guaranteed weather.
This is still the only chance for Jenson/Lewis to have any kind of input into a) the tyres b) how mclaren should react to them as the 2011 car is finalised, allowing for the fact that there will be some change of characteristic. That Vettel still felt it necessary to return says it all…
Well if the team felt theyd have any meaningful input into the tyres theyd be testing. The comments made at the time of the announcement suggested otherwise. McLaren have never struck me as the sort of team who would tell the drivers to go on holiday if there was anything to be gained from working!
Vettel attending or not doesnt say anything at all to me – Red Bulls test drivers are, from what I recall, 2 kids that have sat in a F1 car for a combined total of 5 minutes – the team dont have any other option if they have ANY work theyd like done whether its directly related to the tyres or not.
How come Jenson and Lewis won’t be running for McLaren – are they already ahead with their tyre sim technology?
Jenson said the team told him the tyres will change before next season so there was no point.
At least Gary P ran in the young driver test so he can make a comparison.
Hot conditions in Bahrain next month? what conditions are exactly considered hot in F1 terms? its right now 28 degrees afternoons in Bahrain and dropping fast, surely next month we are looking at 20 degrees afternoons.
Well we’re looking at freezing conditions in Europe so seems like a good idea to be over there
At first glance, Pirelli’s tyre shape very much similars Bridgestone’s one as Mr.Hamashima instructed the Italian tyre maker since teams had started designing their 2011 challenger with bridgestone tyres, especially which effects aero and suspension design.
And I heard ex-bridgestone tyre fitters and engineers based in UK works for Pirelli from today, having changed their outfits after said farewell…a bit weird but good for them.
For the sake of a couple of days in the desert, should Jenson and Lewis not have stayed anyway? Looks like they are working anyway – driving competition winners around Goodwood. Is this a good use of their time?