Paddy Lowe admits that F1 is unlikely to switch from 13-inch to 18-inch wheels.

Having tried 18-inch wheels on a Lotus during last year's post-British GP test at Silverstone, Pirelli recently tried them again, this time on a GP2 car at Monaco with Martin Brundle at the wheel.

However, despite Michelin's claim that it will only return to F1 if the 18-inch wheel format is adopted, it is not thought the sport will make the switch.

"The subject of bigger wheels has been raised over the last five or eight years," Lowe told reporters in Monaco. "I think the broad consensus is that going to bigger wheels is not a good direction. Certainly from a grip point of view it's not positive. Like for like, such tyres will have a lower grip and the weight will go up considerably so it's not an attractive direction performance-wise, so I think generally we would intend to stick with the 13 inch wheels."

"As Paddy said, the rim diameter is going to stay where it is but the width of the tyre is probably still up for grabs," added Ferrari's James Allison. "We're discussing what that ought to be along with all the other aspects of the rules for around about that time. I would say that sooner the better would be good for things like that.

"Tyres are maybe the most complicated bit of the car and the bit of the car that we have the least data about because we're not allowed, by regulation, to test them, either on the track or off the track, so we have the data provided by the tyre manufacturer but that's all and you want that information good and early when you're designing a car, not just for the vehicle dynamics part of the car but also tyres are one of the biggest aerodynamic components on the car and so having in your wind tunnel tyres of the appropriate shape, size and squashiness is a big deal."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by F1 Yank, 18/06/2015 23:26

"I agree with the fact that the F1 chassis rely on tire sidewall compression and deflection as well as other factors to gain overall performance. I understand their point for advertising and commercial purposes but in regards to pure performance, which is what F1 is about, there are many reasons not to switch."

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2. Posted by TORC, 06/06/2015 22:42

"I'm not a fan of the aesthetics of 18" wheels, and don't the smaller wheels allow more side wall conformity as well as a high compliance rate when bouncing over the curbs? Aren't they in-fact an integral part of the suspension that would be lost by the smaller, stiffer side walls? In the bigger picture, tires that minimize degradation and thus marble buildup is a far better place to focus if passing off line is a priority. In the end F1 is entertainment, it should be spectacular and I really don't care one infinitesimal iota if it's road relevant. That's the province of DTM racing..."

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F1 unlikely to switch to 18-inch wheels

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