Formula 1 increases number of Pirelli test days

From 2022 onwards, Formula One cars will drive with new, 18-inch Pirelli tyres. Initially these were to be introduced in 2021, but as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic this has been postponed for a year.

The pandemic also interrupted Pirelli's plans to test the new tyres throughout the season, which ultimately led to only a few free practice sessions being used to test the 2022 tyres.

A statement from the FIA says that the number of test days in 2021 will be increased from 25 to 30 test days. This was decided unanimously on Thursday. The decision came at the request of Pirelli. What the exact testing schedule will look like is not yet known. In the original test schedule for 2020 Pirelli would already start a test with Ferrari at Jerez around this time.