Pirelli have announced that they will use the 2010 Renault R30 to test and develop their tyres this season.
Tyre manufacturer will use R30 to test and develop tyres this season
Pirelli have announced that they will use the 2010 Renault R30 to test and develop their tyres this season.
The Italian manufacturer had been seeking a 2011 spec car to replace their 2009 Toyota TF109 as they felt it no longer provided them with accurate data compared to the new F1 cars, but couldn't reach an agreement with the teams.
The 2010 Renault will be adapted to try and replicate the latest technical and aerodynamic regulations to help Pirelli develop their rubber.
"It was clear from an early point that we needed a more modern solution for our test car, as while the Toyota TF109 has served us extremely well, it is now three years old," Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery told the official
Formula One website.
"Technology as well as the regulations have moved on considerably since then, and the Toyota is no longer able to generate the same sort of forces that we need to simulate in order to meet the current requirements of Formula One.
Equal
"At the top of our agenda is the need to treat the teams entirely equally, which is why the test team will be run independently and all the teams will be able to send an observer to the tests.
"Our new test car will be running to current fuel regulations, with no refuelling, so we will be able to simulate a full race distance and the change in balance with the car and tyres.
"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Toyota, who have given us exceptional support as we developed our range of tyres for 2011 and 2012.
"They have played a significant part in our achievements in Formula One to date, and now we look forward to building on this in the future with a new range of tyres."
