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Pirelli to use Ferrari's mule car for first 2017 tyre test

Pirelli will use Ferrari's 2015-modified mule car to begin its '17 Formula 1 tyre testing programme next week.

The F1 tyre supplier has up to 25 car days in a season in which to test improvements to the design of its rubber.

Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery said at Autosport International last month that the firm wants to focus wet tyre development.

This will be the priority in next week's two-day test, which begins on February 9 at Fiorano.

Pirelli had been negotiating with Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari to be able to use one of their mule cars to do the testing.

The three teams had modified 2015 cars last year to help Pirelli conduct testing for the new-for-2017 wider rubber.

It reached an agreement with Ferrari for next week's test and talks are ongoing with the other two teams for future running.

Pirelli wants to improve the warm-up characteristics of the wet tyres, particularly as there will be standing restarts in 2017.

Hembery said last month: "We're going to have standing [re]starts, so the tyres are going to be cold.

"Like we do in GP2, where you don't have blankets, we have to try and get a product which warms up a lot quicker."

A series of wet tests are set to take place over the next two months.

Zdroj: autosport.com