Uncertainty clouds Le Mans ahead of 24-hour race: Di Resta on WEC tyre warmer ban
In the week leading up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Peugeot’s Paul Di Resta expressed concerns over the uncertainty surrounding the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) competition, particularly with regards to the ban on tyre warmers. The 38-year-old Scot believes this decision has brought significant unpredictability to the race, which takes place this weekend.
“It brings massive uncertainty,” Di Resta stated during a team media briefing. “This tyre is clearly not developed to be started from cold. It was developed from a tyre that should have been heated.”
Di Resta, who drives the #94 Peugeot 9X8 alongside Loic Duval and Stoffel Vandoorne, emphasized the challenges of starting with cold tyres, especially considering the high speeds involved at Le Mans. “The speeds arriving at T1 versus a tyre starting from cold, the unpredictability and how big these cars are — it’s quite hard.”
The French squad has recently introduced a new car, featuring a rear wing and different size tyres compared to the ‘old’ wingless 9X8. However, Di Resta feels that more development is needed to ensure drivers have a tyre they can trust. “I would have liked a bit more development, in the sense of making sure you had a tyre that you felt in control of. I don’t think any driver would say they ever feel in control when the tyre is cold in a Hypercar, because the rubber just takes time to switch on and that’s generally with heat.”
Getting heat into the tyres at Le Mans
Getting heat into the tyres at Le Mans is particularly difficult, as Di Resta explained. “When you come out the pits, that’s the bit that’s going to be hard. You need speed quickly. There’s no possibility to even get speed because you’re not in a straight line, anywhere, you’re constantly turning.” The speed at which tyres reach optimal temperature is dependent on external factors such as temperature and compound, which can significantly impact strategy throughout the race.
Di Resta believes the WEC was too hasty in removing tyre warmers, stating, “Personally, I don’t think it was ready for it. The tyre’s not up to speed yet. Until you can go out there and confidently say you don’t feel kind of unsafe because it is very unpredictable.”
The Scot also pointed out the seemingly contradictory regulations, citing the lack of downforce in the current WEC cars. “These cars are heavy now. When they go, they go, and they’ve not got a lot of downforce either. One thing that kickstarts a tyre is downforce, but the regulation doesn’t have downforce — but it’s heavy.”
As the 2023 WEC calendar reaches its pinnacle event, Di Resta’s concerns over the tyre warmer ban add an extra layer of unpredictability to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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