The mediation comes after Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg endured tyre disappointments at near 200mph at Spa throughout the weekend. Pirelli says it is leading a criminological examination to comprehend the disappointments. A representative said it would have liked to have an extensive clarification of the reasons for Vettel’s occurrence by Thursday.
The former F1 driver Wuz, Jenson Button and Vettel said, “As drivers, we strongly believe the end of a tyre’s performance window can and should not be a tyre delamination in the form of an explosion. I believe there are technologies which prevent such sudden delimitation, but for the short term we need to give Pirelli the freedom and support to introduce any measures they declare safe and fit for F1 racing.”
Wurz – who races for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship, where all the main groups use Michelin tyres – included that the GPDA was in contact with representing body the FIA and Pirelli on the issue.
Wurz said, “We request their utmost attention to the tyre blow-outs at Spa. We need to work together to get on top of such safety concerns.”
The drivers are irate about the circumstance in light of the fact that it seems reminiscent to them of the 2013 British Grand Prix, when six tyre disappointments in one race dove F1 into emergency. Pirelli needed to roll out crisis improvements to its tyres after that race.
Drivers’ trepidation tyre blasts for two reasons:
- It causes an unforeseen loss of control and can prompt a genuine mischance.
- It is amazingly hazardous for any driver firmly taking after an auto that has a tyre disappointment in light of the fact that he can be hit by overwhelming, flying flotsam and jetsam from the tyre.
Wurz said, “It needs to be said that we have seen tyre failures throughout the history of F1 and racing. This is not desired, but we are aware of the difficulties tyre manufacturers face because of ever-evolving lap times and forces. It is the management of and reaction to such failures, and the development of better, faster and safer tyres, which F1 shall and must embrace and even demand. This is for the safety of the drivers but also for feeding safer technologies into road tyres.”
Vettel’s tyre blasted on its 29th lap – well inside of the most extreme of 40 laps Pirelli had prescribed to Ferrari. The Italian group was likewise not cautioned by their Pirelli designer amid that race that they were going out on a limb. Pirelli put out an announcement on Sunday night after the race that said its 2013 recommendation to force most extreme use limits on tyres had not been received by F1.
