Jun.12 (GMM) Paul Hembery insists Pirelli is ready for the rain in Canada.

Weather forecasters are predicting very likely rain for Sunday's grand prix, which will be the first wet race tackled by F1's new tyre supplier.

"We've done five or six test days in the wet," insisted motor sport director Hembery to Auto Motor und Sport, "and then we had a rainy practice in Turkey.

"We're ready."

But that is more than some drivers are saying. "I've never driven with Pirelli in the rain," revealed Jenson Button. "In Turkey I decided not to go out because we wanted to save the tyres in case it was wet all weekend."

Added his teammate Lewis Hamilton: "I did a few laps at the Barcelona test", while McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh admitted rain on Sunday will be a "journey into the unknown".

Meanwhile, it has emerged that McLaren's higher downforce than some key rivals on Saturday was not necessarily a clever gamble on the prospect of wet weather.

Auto Motor und Sport reveals that the team simply didn't prioritise much time developing a Canada-specific low downforce rear wing.

"When I look at the lap time (in qualifying) it was perhaps a mistake," admitted Whitmarsh.

In the meantime, all eyes are on the skies as many drivers contemplate their first real action on the Pirelli wets.

"What will be important will be coming around the circuit without making mistakes," said Virgin driver Timo Glock.

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version