Pirelli will be told to produce a tire "drivers can push to the limit" in '17 as Formula 1 bosses seek to "make the sport more exciting," according to Andrew Benson of the BBC. The current tires "prevent drivers from racing flat out because they degrade quickly and need to be nursed." Cars will be "as much as five seconds a lap faster" in '17. Pirelli has already "indicated its willingness" to produce a racier tire next year but said that "it needs more track testing" to fulfill its work. The FIA will instruct Pirelli to design a tire that will "allow drivers to push hard for longer." Pirelli has been given preliminary information about the performance the cars "are expected to have" in '17 so it can start working on tire design (BBC, 2/25).
HALO COCKPITS: In London, Alex Sharp reported the FIA confirmed that its racing cars will have "partially closed cockpits for the start of the 2017 season." In the wake of "several recent serious and fatal accidents in the divisions of professional motor racing, concerns have grown over the safety of drivers at increasingly fast speeds but the FIA appears to be nearing an answer." New F1 cars will not be fitted with a fully closed cockpit and will instead use a "Halo" design but the FIA "has yet to pick the specific design with testing ongoing." In a statement, the FIA said, "Other options, such as transparent cockpit protection, will continue to be evaluated" (DAILY MAIL, 2/24).
