Pirelli Scorpion tyre to equip WRC title chaser in Argentina

Pirelli’s Scorpion tyre will be used to equip two World Rally Championship title chasers when the series heads to South America next week for Rally Argentina (May 8-11).
Lorenzo Bertelli, currently second in the WRC 2 category, and WRC 2 Production pacesetter Max Rendina, will both rely on Pirelli technology for the challenging gravel event, which consists of 14 special stages over a competitive distance of 405.10 kilometres.

Pirelli drivers in Argentina The Pirelli drivers contesting Rally Argentina are: 33 Max Rendina/Mario Pizzuti (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10) 37 Lorenzo Bertelli/Mitia Dotta (Ford Fiesta RRC)

The tyres available Pirelli will supply its soft compound Scorpion XR7 tyres for cool and damp conditions, plus the option Scorpion XR5, which comes in a hard compound for warmer temperatures. The XR pattern’s internal structure means that the tyre is resistant to rocks and other impacts, while the sidewall is also reinforced to protect against punctures, a constant menace when the soft and sandy Argentine stages are run for a second time. The new XR is a symmetrical (non-directional) tyre, which makes each tyre interchangeable on either side of the car: a key advantage when it comes to strategy.

The rules One prime compound is nominated per gravel event (the soft compound in Argentina) with limited quantities of a harder option compound also available in case of unexpected warmer weather. 
WRC 2 drivers have an allocation of 20 tyres for the event (plus four for the shakedown) making 24 tyres in total. 
The soft compound XR7 is the prime nomination, with the harder XR5 available as the option.

Quotes Matteo Braga, Pirelli senior engineer: “With the conditions we expect to see in Argentina this year, we think that most drivers will be using the XR7: well-suited to soft gravel as well as muddy and potentially wet conditions: all of which are distinct possibilities on the event. The soft-compound XR7 benefits from a fast warm-up time, meaning that it gets up to ideal operating temperature quickly, even in cool ambient conditions, while the tread compound is designed to evacuate stones, water and loose gravel as efficiently as possible.”

Ends For more information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com