Pirelli: Absolutely, we’ll be ready
Pirelli conducted a successful two-day test in Abu Dhabi earlier this week, with all 12 Formula One teams participating.
Initial reaction from the drivers has been positive, although there were two tires failures, both belonging to Sebastian Vettel, the first of which has been attributed to debris on the track.
"Absolutely," Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery told Autosport when asked if Pirelli would be ready for the 2011 season-opener.
"We haven't seen anything shocking, surprising or disastrous – in fact, we've only been encouraged by the results here and from that point of view we are on target.
"I would say that we have very good indications for the compound choices. After this test and the work we do in Bahrain next month we're going to have a pretty good idea of the theoretical choices that we should be taking to each circuit.
"But the actual practical results of those when you actually get on the tracks with different conditions and temperatures will give us the answer. But that's part of the experience and that will come with time. I don't think we're too far out."
As for Vettel's tire failures, Hembery said the Italian manufacturer is still looking into the cause of the second issues.
"It wasn't the same in the sense that yesterday (Friday) there was a big cut but today we had a few signals," said Hembery. "We were doing a different type of work today.
"It's confidential work, so I can't go into too much detail, but it was nothing shocking."