Pirelli trials stickers to enforce temperature limits

As a result of Pirelli’s collaboration with the FIA to ensure a better monitoring of tyre usage parameters, the Italian firm is trialling a special type of sticker on each tyre tread in Bahrain.

Pirelli notes the stickers are meant to enforce that teams do not pre-heat the tyres higher than the maximum allowed temperature.

"These stickers read the maximum temperature reached by the tyre tread while the tyres are being pre-heated by the teams in their tyre blankets.

Pirelli prescribes a maximum temperature of 110°C (230°F), which should not be exceeded at any point before the tyre takes to the track."

Throughout 2013, temperature management of the Pirelli tyres had been a hot topic. When the FIA later used an infrared camera to show tyre temperatures on the live feed, it also became apparent to the wide public that teams were pre-heating the tyres more than the temperatures usually achieved on track, thereby circumventing the recommendations from the supplier.

The FIA will now ensure that this absolute limits as specified by Pirelli are respected, together with the minimum tyre pressures when leaving the pits and maximum camber levels on the track.