Pirelli confirms tire allocations up to Singapore - MotorSportsTalk

Pirelli has confirmed which tires will be on offer to the teams for the next three grands prix in Belgium, Italy and Singapore.

F1’s tire supplier has been criticized by some corners of the paddock for being too conservative in its allocations this year, and this appears to have continued for the next three races. Following a difficult 2013 season that saw the selections be not conservative enough, Pirelli cannot be blamed for erring on the side of caution.

For the next three races, the following tires will be on offer:

Belgian Grand Prix – soft (option); medium (prime)
Italian Grand Prix – medium (option); hard (prime)
Singapore Grand Prix – super-soft (option); soft (hard)

“At Spa, one of the most spectacular and demanding circuits on the calendar, the P Zero White medium and P Zero Yellow soft tires will be used, which will be well-suited to the varied track and weather conditions often found in Belgium,” a statement from Pirelli reads.

“For Monza, the ‘temple of speed’ and Pirelli’s home event, the two hardest compounds in the range have been nominated: P Zero Orange hard and P Zero White medium. This is to combat the high-energy loads that are put through the tires as the result of high traction and braking demands, sustained high speeds and frequently warm temperatures.

“Singapore is the final street circuit of the season and held at night, providing a unique combination of conditions. The two softest tires in the range will be used: P Zero Yellow soft and P Zero Red supersoft. These will provide maximum mechanical grip.”

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An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”