In its final preparations ahead of the first group test in February, Pirelli is completing an extensive test of its wet weather tyres in Abu Dhabi over the next two nights.
Pedro de la Rosa will complete six hours of testing each night, using both the intermediate and full wet tyres on a circuit soaked with water. It is the first dedicated test for the wet weather Pirelli compounds and the first ever overnight Formula One test.
The Italian tyre firm opted to test in Abu Dhabi due to the warmer track temperatures, which should be closer to the wet conditions it experiences during races this season.
"This is a unique opportunity to witness a Formula One test car on track at night in the wet and on hot tarmac, in an entirely floodlit setting," Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery explained. "We decided to do it this way because we want to challenge our rain tyres with the most difficult and demanding of all situations. And who knows, perhaps it could be a good idea for a future grand prix?"
"These tests will provide us with useful information to finalise our tyre development process for Formula One. It is seven months since we started developing our tyres and five since we started with the actual testing. We are very satisfied with the results so far and we have also collected very positive feedback from the teams.
Pirelli has now covered more than 13,000 kilometres on its new tyre compounds and is happy with the results so far. At the start of February the 12 F1 teams will sample the new tyres at Valencia, ahead of a month-and-a-half's heavy testing before the season opener in Bahrain on March 13.
"Soon it will be time to get started in Spain where the first official test of the season will take place," added Hembery. "We will use this opportunity to gather more feedback from teams and drivers and be ready for the Bahrain Grand Prix in March."
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