Feb.14 (GMM) Pirelli is happy in formula one and embracing the “very important challenge” of the much faster 2017 cars.
That is the claim of Marco Tronchetti Provera, who is the chief executive of F1’s Italian tyre supplier.
Pirelli’s involvement in F1 since 2011 has often been controversial, but Provera insisted: “F1 gave Pirelli a chance to show what we can do, and that we are a company with a future.
“We assess the financial results of our cooperation with the world championship very positively,” he told Italian radio Rai Gr Parlamento.
“We had to overcome all sorts of difficulties, but Pirelli has contributed to the success of F1 while at the same time demonstrating our capabilities,” Provera added.
The 68-year-old was more guarded when asked about F1’s future in the new Liberty Media era, following the departure of long-time supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
“Let’s see what will change with the arrival of the new owners,” said Provera, “but it is unlikely that in the next three years the changes will be radical.”
But he is very much looking forward to the new rules in 2017, in which Pirelli’s bigger, wider, faster and more durable slicks will play a leading role.
“The new season is for us a very important challenge,” said Provera. “We are bringing tyres with greater performance of several seconds per lap.
“The technology gap is huge, but we are well underway and the work we are doing is very important,” he added.