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F1 news: Pirelli to stick with 2019 tyres for next season’s Formula One championship

Despite numerous tests in recent weeks, the teams will continue to run the 2019-specification rubber

Adam Hamdani
Tuesday 10 December 2019 19:10 GMT
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Teams have rejected Pirelli's planned new tyres
Teams have rejected Pirelli's planned new tyres (Getty)

Formula One's teams have unanimously rejected Pirelli's planned new tyres for the 2020 season.

Despite numerous tests in recent weeks, the teams will continue to run the 2019-specification rubber despite complaints aired about their sensitivity and the failure of the drivers to race harder than they would like.

Pirelli said there were "several different factors" behind the decision, chief amongst them being the teams would have been required to modify their 2020 cars to accommodate the different profile of tyre for next season.

With the sport set for a major regulation overhaul in 2021, when new-look cars complete with 18-inch wheels will be on show - compared to the current 13-inch - such a design change was deemed unnecessary.

Pirelli further claimed that continued use of the 2019 tyres "guarantees the teams stability, with the advantage of using a well-known product during the final season of the current regulations".

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