Pirelli wants to introduce its smart tyre technology, which provides real-time data on tyre performance, to Formula 1.

The company already markets its Connesso smart tyre for road vehicles. However Pirelli sporting director Mario Isola told RaceFans the technology adapting it for use in motorsport could take time.

“We know that smart tyres are the future. A tyre that is talking to the car is something that we’ve studied for many years. So we are developing sensors and so on.

“But the usage of it inside a motorsport tyre, especially in a Formula 1 tyre where you have forces, accelerations, energy and temperature that are much higher than on a road car, it is something that we need to analyse before introducing.”

A smart tyre could be used to transmit information on tyre wear, grip, temperature, pressure and more in real-time to teams and fans. It would also be relevant to Pirelli’s road car products, said Isola.

“All the data we collect in Formula One, considering the level of detail that you have in Formula One, is more than relevant for road cars.

“We talk about air pressure, temperature is something they already measure, level of grip, this kind of stuff. This is something that if we are able to collect this data in Formula One, considering the level of detail here, for sure this is something that is really useful for road cars.”

One potential risk of introducing smart tyres would be the possibility of revealing sensitive information about the teams’ cars.

“We need to pay attention on the commercial side, not to disclose any confidential information,” Isola admitted. “But we can have useful information also to entertain spectators.”

“I believe that the main target is technical. It is to have something that is good for safety, because when you introduce this kind of sensor in a road car it is mainly for safety, to have warning if the tyre is too worn or you are running at too high speed or the level of grip of the road is different.

“So all this is information that is useful in a road car. And if you can collect on a motorsport tyre it is even more interesting.”

What will F1’s planned switch to 18-inch tyres in 2021 mean for the sport? Read Dieter Rencken’s exclusive interview with Mario Isola later today on RaceFans

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2018 F1 season