Pirelli racing chief Mario Isola believes Formula 2’s switch to 18-inch tyres for the 2020 season will help identify any potential iss𓄧ues ahead of the size change in Formula🤪 1 next year.

F1 will make the change from 13-inch to 1💯8-inch tyres for the 2021 season as part of a wider overhaul of the technical regulations.

The size change will first take plac💃e in F2 this year, with teams set to complete three days of pre-season running to get used to the new-spec tyre before the opening race in Bahrain o𒀰n March 21.

Speaking to ltxcn.top at Autosport International, Isola explained that while the construction and specification of th♈e F2 tyres is different to that used in F1, the switch in 2020 would he🍎lp identify any future problems for the 2021 change.

“Formula 2 is different. As usual, we makꦺe a different product for Formula 2 for a number of reasons: the level of performance, the fact they are not using tyre blankets and so on and so on,” Isola said.

“It’s a good way to anticipate potential issues that we have 𝔉with Formula 1 in 2021. Obviously having a full racing season with Formula 2 is good to collect data, to understand how it works.

“The Formula 2 development plan was quite concentrated, because we started in March or April, and we finalised the product in December, so it was qu💯ite compressed, but it was very positive.

“In terms of performance, Formula 2 18-inch tyres are in line with 13-inch tyres. That is a good result, because I’m not expecting to ꦬhave slower cars ♓next year. Maybe at the beginning they needed some time to set up the car, but as a general expectation it’s not to have slower cars in 2020.

“This is also a good element to analyse for For💟mula 1, because in Formula 2, the car is not going to change, so we have a proper tyre comparison between 13 inches and 18 inc🍸hes.”