Liberty’s new F1 ideas encouraging Pirelli

Pirelli chief Mario Isola says the initial plans revealed by Formula 1 owners Liberty Media for the future of the sport are encouraging but warns about the challenges around being able to pull them off.

Liberty has unveiled its future vision of F1 to key stakeholders including every team and Pirelli, ranging from fan initiatives to engine regulations, which divided opinions with Ferrari going so far as to threaten to quit the sport.

While Pirelli boss Isola feels his company and Liberty share the common goal of promoting F1 in the best possible light, he’s also eager for the sport’s new technical department headed up by Ross Brawn to produce regulations which provide equality between teams to boost competition.

“I believe that it has been great as we’ve had a lot of talks with Liberty and are interested in a lot of projects with them,” Isola told Crash.net. “We had a great relationship also with the previous owner but now the approach is different and we’re very interested to know their fresh ideas.

“They have a big challenge but I’m sure their target is to bring the sport to the top level is the same target as we have. If we supply the tyres to everybody it is in our interest to promote our product and also to grown the sport.

“F1 now has a technical department and are working on new ideas for the future regulations. That is a good approach because they don’t have any interest in giving an advantage to one or another team. What is important for them is to promote the championship and it is the same target as the FIA so we’re involved in many discussions with both and happy to support all the analysis and studies for the future.”

Having been met with some resistance from F1 teams over various potential changes, Isola accepts Liberty’s plans could be ultimately compromised to keep all parties satisfied and is worried it may dampen the targets set by the US owners.

“I believe they have some ideas, but I don’t want to anticipate anything,” he said. “They have to tell you what they are planning but I know that there are some good ideas for the future. If they are able to realise and achieve the ideas then yes it is exciting.”