Pirelli P7 review

It’s hard to know what’s going on with the latest C2 version of the P7, because yet again it hasn’t troubled the leaders. It’s not what we’d expect from a tyre by the Formula One supplier. 

It has moved up from joint last in our 2020 16-inch test, but has fallen further away from the winning performance, because last year it was just 1.6 per cent off first place. Across the wet tests it only beat the ageing Dunlop, with the deficit in both shallow and deep water. 

Last year we saw a lack of balance, with a strong front not matched by the rear, and it remains in this bigger size. Power off through corners or turn in off the throttle and the rear moved much too easily – not what you want on the road. Plenty of lock was required through turns, as the front lacked grip on the throttle. The story wasn’t much better in the dry, with the P7 lagging behind the best, although it was better balanced and stable, with decent grip. It felt soft but not wayward. 

Pirelli may have traded performance in the wet for fuel economy, because it was next best behind the Bridgestone, with a useful gap (around a two per cent fuel saving) to the third-placed Continental. It was also one of the quieter tyres on test.

We say...

"Last year we said the P7 would need refining. It’s clear that still needs to happen, because its wet-weather performance needs improvement."

Blackcircle.com says…

"A fairly new tyre, with the same name as its predecessor, Pirelli’s latest P7 has generally been well received. Customers have given the tyre a slightly lower overall score of 4.2/5."

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