With the team starting to make huge gains in downforce through the 2023 car, Pirelli felt it would make sense to intervene at Silverstone in July, introducing the firmer tyres, just in time.

This was done less for security reasons and more to ensure that there would be no problems in the future. The compound of the new tires will be the same as currently used.

Pirelli has been monitoring the progress the team has made with the car for weeks, with sources saying the levels of downforce produced are on par with those expected at the end of the season.

Furthermore, the dramatic improvement in lap times at last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix highlighted that the car will only get faster as the team prepares to implement more upgrades over the next few races.

After discussions with the FIA, Pirelli has decided to take action to avoid any serious problems as F1 prepares for some of the most challenging circuits of the summer, such as Silverstone, Spa and Zandvoort. The risk of tire failure is logical.

Pirelli has therefore proposed to the FIA ​​that it be allowed to use the new construction tires at the British Grand Prix on July 9.

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen receives the Pirelli pole position from Pirelli Motorsport Manager Mario Isola

Photography: Mark Sutton/ motorsport pictures

Under F1’s technical regulations, any mid-season construction changes need to go through a formal process – either approved by the teams or enforced on safety grounds.

Article 10.8.3 states that once a tire specification has been set for the season, “it cannot be changed without the consent of the Formula 1 Commission. Notwithstanding the above, for safety reasons the FIA ​​may decide to change the specification during the Championship season without notice or delay.”

Eight of the 10 teams are needed to win the F1 Commission’s approval this year.

If plans for the British GP are in place, the next question will be when teams will start testing them, with Pirelli eager to ensure they are tried out beforehand.

The next race at Imola is already being run on a different tire ruleset as part of a sustainability assessment, and Monaco is not a logical place to assess rubber.

The Spanish Grand Prix in early June could be relevant, as is the subsequent race in Canada. After that, the Austrian Grand Prix is ​​a sprint race, so no tire testing was possible.

Reflecting on Miami’s performance leap, Pirelli and F1 racing director Mario Isola said the nearly two-second improvement compared to last year was eye-opening — though some of that can be attributed to the freshly laid asphalt.

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19

Photography: Andy Horn / motorsport pictures

Even so, Isola said it was becoming increasingly clear that teams had made the cars faster for 2023, although floor changes were expected to slow them down this year.

“We talked about the new regulations at the end of last year, they might be a little bit slower, let’s say they’re half a second slower because of the new regulations,” he said in Miami.

“But they’re faster because we have to think about a year’s worth of development.”