Watch Sebastian Vettel Test F1 2017's Way Wider Tyres

Formula 1 tyres are increasing in width by 25 per cent in 2017, and Pirelli has been busy testing them at Fiorano. Watch Sebastian Vettel thrash his way around on the new set of rubber!

Jack Leslie

03 Aug 2016

F1 is going for an old-school vibe with the new, wider tyres, bringing them back to the kind of proportions and look we saw in the 1970s. The widths are increasing by 25% and this will certainly improve track performance and could give us better racing too.

The front tyres will increase in width from 245mm to 305mm, with the rears moving from 325mm to 405mm. YouTuber 19Bozzy92 captured great footage of Sebastian Vettel testing new, wide 2017 intermediate and wet tyres at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track using a modified SF15-T.

As well as making the cars look even more aggressive and bold, the tyres will also give drivers more mechanical grip, which will speed up laptimes and car performance. The changes to the aero and the improved grip could also help the racing, potentially boosting overtaking. That can only be a good thing.

Pirelli has an extensive test programme planned for these wider 2017 tyres over the rest of the year, with Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes taking part.

Comments

Jeez the next size would be monster truck tires!

Soon f1 will be superpowered cars on big monster truck wheels

looks badass now. i like it

Same :D

Ayyy it would be like the return of the 70s and 80s all over again! 😃

More grip, looks better = great decision

Exactly my thoughts, looks awesome. Can’t wait to see what next seasons lap times are going to be in comparison to this year and compared to the crazy speeds hit in the ‘03-‘04, which is where most lap records seem to stem from.

Almost there…

Just waiting for the v10 to return😊

With a turbo

they should make it so you can have any amount of cylinders a team wants, as long as the litres dont go over 2.0L

Meant to reduce lap times by 2 seconds per lap (the new aero will reduce it a further 2). Only problem with new regulations is that the aero will create even more turbulent air so on the whole it might not be more exciting. Can’t have it both ways i suppose

Wow, first they brought the turbo back, now I get to see the proportions of my favourite era (Louda and Hunt)

I hope it’s a prototype design, cause from the side they don’t look that good.. But awesome to see anything that can give a faster lap times! Now we just need a V10 twin turbo (cause that turbo ain’t going away, which I don’t mind) and no fuel restriction. Also no DRS, or only 1 straight.

Why is he testing rain tires at race speed? Wasted time as when it rains they drive behind the sc until the conditions are good enough to go for inters but yeah the wider tires look badass