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Pirelli expected to begin testing programme in August

ESPNF1 Staff
August 6, 2010 « 'We don't have any weak circuits,' says Webber | »
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Pirelli is expected to begin its testing programme for next season's Formula One tyre compounds before the current August break between races ends.

The Italian marque, who won the contract to supply F1 tyres in 2011, recently began testing its new GP2 tyres, and Germany's Auto Bild Motorsport believes Mercedes reserve driver Nick Heidfeld will be in the cockpit of Toyota's 2009 TF109 car.

Mugello is expected to play host to the first of six dedicated Pirelli tests and Formula One teams should get their first taste of next year's rubber before the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Pirelli will supply four different compounds to the teams, with the aim of providing a range of reliable, consistent tyres.

"I do not think companies today can afford hundreds of millions of euros to make their tyres faster," said Pirelli's F1 chief Paul Hembery. "We want to stay [in F1] longer than three years."

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