Horner: Pirelli would be good for Formula One; Changes to Silverstone’s spectator areas ahead of British Grand Prix
Christian Horner believes that Pirelli will be a positive addition to Formula One, after revealing that a deal is close to being struck with the Italian tyre manufacturer.
Speculation, earlier this week, had hinted that Pirelli would be the sport’s new supplier of rubber from next season onwards. However, while speaking to reporters on Friday, Bernie Ecclestone said that nothing had been agreed and that Michelin and Cooper-Avon were still possible options.
Consequently, a report by Autosport.comhas revealed that a deal is close with Pirelli, but there are still a number of contractual issues to be finalised, relating to commercial terms, future option clauses and the degree of technical collaboration which the company will have with the teams.
Although the article reports that these issues will mean that a deal may take several days to complete, Horner believes that Pirelli will be positive for Formula One.
“I think Pirelli will be really positive for F1,” Horner is quoted as saying in the same article. “They are a quality company, they are a good brand to have in F1 and I think it is good news for F1. It is also really a good quantity of tyres they are looking at supplying and we are looking forward to working with them.
“Like with Bridgestone, we expect everyone to have parity in terms of supply and equipment – and that is the big advantage of a standard supplier. Doing that enables teams such as Red Bull to be competitive with teams like Ferrari, McLarens and Mercedes.
“To be honest, I think it is just a matter of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. Pirelli has made a very good offer, it is down to Bernie to do his bit now and get on with it.”
The Red Bull team principal also said that he would support the notion that teams should have at least one test day on the new rubber before the end of the year.
“It would be great to have a tyre test,” he said. “It would be useful for the design of next year’s car and winter preparations.”
In other news, Silverstone has promised fans a brand new viewing experience ahead of this year’s British Grand Prix, after revising a number of key spectator sports.
Such changes include the construction of a new grandstands at Becketts, the new Arena section and along the start-finish straight, which will be raised higher for fans to get a better view of the circuit.
“It is very, very different to what it was like before,” Silverstone’s managing director Richard Phillips is quoted as saying by Autosport.com. “We have to make sure we get the infrastructure right, and when people go there they are going to be doing different things to what they did before. We are dead keen now to reinvest in the experience.”
“The best spectating point at the circuit now is probably Becketts. We have knocked the old grandstand down, reprofiled the bank there and we are putting in a 7000-seat grandstand.
“The grandstands are also being raised in the air – so you can see up to Copse Corner, down to Hangar Straight, down to Abbey and a long way down the old national straight.”
Organisers are also close to finalising plans to show the World Cup final live at the circuit, after the post-race Grand Prix Party on Sunday.
