Seems Pirelli's new contrct has not been signed yet for next season and they have indicated they may pull out if nothing happens soon! What next? Honda, BMW and Bridgstone have already pulled out citing huge costs. If Pirelli also goes, then are we back to Michelin...who have refused over single supplier strategy?
The F1 Thread 2013 Season
- Thread starter nemanja15
- Start date
Pirelli will still be the trackside sponsor next season, I doubt any manufacturer will want anything to do with F1 whilst that sponsorship deal is in place, it would also be in the teams best interests that Pirelli return next year as development for the 2014 car has started.
I fully expect Pirelli to be still in F1 next season, I do think there should be 2 tyre supplier's
I don't, multiple tyre suppliers always ends up with one tyre being better than the other and everyone again mentioning the tyres as a contributing factor all season. I'd much rather keep the playing field level and let the teams go head to head on car development, especially given the huge changes next year will probably widen the field spread.
OK you make a good point there.
Looks like Pirelli are changing them for the German GP and then reverting to 2012 rubber for the next race.
They are changing the steel belt for Kevlar, I don't know how long it take to make a tyre, but to supply all the teams with new tyre's for practice, qualifying and then the race must be a massive job.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/23141389
EDIT: Would help if I read the story right, they are changing only the rear tyre's, but still a huge job.
Looks like Pirelli are changing them for the German GP and then reverting to 2012 rubber for the next race.
They are changing the steel belt for Kevlar, I don't know how long it take to make a tyre, but to supply all the teams with new tyre's for practice, qualifying and then the race must be a massive job.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/23141389
EDIT: Would help if I read the story right, they are changing only the rear tyre's, but still a huge job.
You'll never have a level playing field with the disparity in terms of budget the teams have, so they should just go back to having multiple tyre sponsors as it'll make it much more interesting.
Pirelli as far as I can tell have blamed teams and drivers for trying to go fast for the tyre failures citing low tyre pressure, kerbs, rear tyre swapping and extreme camber amongst other things.
Hah! And here I thought F1 was all about speed and trying to do a lap as fast as you can.
Rejecting any suggestion that its product was dangerous, the Italian company said in a statement it would bring stronger rear tyres to this weekend's race in Germany to allay any safety fears and introduce a new range in Hungary at the end of the month.
Pirelli said some teams had deliberately put tyres intended for the right rear of the car on the left, had run them at lower pressures than recommended by the manufacturer and used extreme cambers for performance advantage.
However, it shouldered some of the blame for these practices.
"Mounting the tyres the wrong way round is a practice that was nonetheless underestimated by everybody: above all Pirelli, which did not forbid this," said the statement.
Pirelli found the kerbs at fast corners, and specifically turn four of the Silverstone circuit, were also "particularly aggressive".
Four drivers suffered high-speed rear tyre blowouts at Silverstone - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) and Sergio Perez (McLaren).
The debris from the exploding tyres was flung up into the path of cars behind, with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso having one near-miss. Fears about the drivers' safety plunged the sport into crisis with talk of a possible driver boycott.
Pirelli said the rears to be used at the Nuerburgring on Sunday would feature inner belts made of Kevlar, a reinforced fibre that was a feature of last year's tyres, beneath the tread instead of the steel used so far this season.
Its 2013 tyres have an 'asymmetric' structure which means that they are not designed to be interchangeable but some teams struggling with high degradation have improved performance by swapping them around.
"The sidewalls are designed in such a way to deal with specific loads on the internal and external sides of the tyre. So swapping the tyres round has an effect on how they work in certain conditions," said Pirelli.
"In particular, the external part is designed to cope with the very high loads that are generated while cornering at a circuit as demanding as Silverstone, with its rapid left-hand bends and some kerbs that are particularly aggressive."
Under-inflating the tyres can also bring a competitive advantage but puts more stress on them.
Pirelli said that, because of the potential danger, it had asked the governing FIA for a technical official to make sure cambers and pressures complied with set parameters in future.
It will also be forbidden to swap the new rears for Germany around, since they too are asymmetric. The front tyres remain unaltered.
The tyres to be used at the Nuerburgring had been made originally for teams to try out in Canada last month. But they were not used due to bad weather and opposition from Ferrari, Force India and Lotus whose cars were easier on the tyres and who feared giving up an advantage.
Those tyres to be introduced in Hungary at the end of July will have a symmetrical structure with the 2013 compounds.
"I'd like to re-emphasise the fact that the 2013 range of tyres, used in the correct way, is completely safe," said Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery.
"What happened at Silverstone though has led us to ask for full access to real-time tyre data to ensure the correct usage and development of tyres that have the sophistication we were asked to provide and extremely high performance that has lowered lap times by more than two seconds on average.
"While we wait for a change in the rules, we will introduce tyres that are easier to manage."
Formula One teams will test the tyres for Hungary at Silverstone from July 17-19. Silverstone's owners had said reports that sharp edges on the circuit's kerbs might have been to blame for the blowouts were "absolute rubbish".
Pirelli said the Silverstone failures were unrelated to previous problems of 'delamination' - when the tread is penetrated by debris and separates from the belt underneath, peeling away from the main body, or carcass, of the tyre.
"What happened at Silverstone was completely unexpected and it was the first time that anything like this has ever occurred in more than a century of Pirelli in motorsport," said Hembery.
"These incidents, which have upset us greatly, have stressed the urgency of the changes that we already suggested."
Pirelli said some teams had deliberately put tyres intended for the right rear of the car on the left, had run them at lower pressures than recommended by the manufacturer and used extreme cambers for performance advantage.
However, it shouldered some of the blame for these practices.
"Mounting the tyres the wrong way round is a practice that was nonetheless underestimated by everybody: above all Pirelli, which did not forbid this," said the statement.
Pirelli found the kerbs at fast corners, and specifically turn four of the Silverstone circuit, were also "particularly aggressive".
Four drivers suffered high-speed rear tyre blowouts at Silverstone - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) and Sergio Perez (McLaren).
The debris from the exploding tyres was flung up into the path of cars behind, with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso having one near-miss. Fears about the drivers' safety plunged the sport into crisis with talk of a possible driver boycott.
Pirelli said the rears to be used at the Nuerburgring on Sunday would feature inner belts made of Kevlar, a reinforced fibre that was a feature of last year's tyres, beneath the tread instead of the steel used so far this season.
Its 2013 tyres have an 'asymmetric' structure which means that they are not designed to be interchangeable but some teams struggling with high degradation have improved performance by swapping them around.
"The sidewalls are designed in such a way to deal with specific loads on the internal and external sides of the tyre. So swapping the tyres round has an effect on how they work in certain conditions," said Pirelli.
"In particular, the external part is designed to cope with the very high loads that are generated while cornering at a circuit as demanding as Silverstone, with its rapid left-hand bends and some kerbs that are particularly aggressive."
Under-inflating the tyres can also bring a competitive advantage but puts more stress on them.
Pirelli said that, because of the potential danger, it had asked the governing FIA for a technical official to make sure cambers and pressures complied with set parameters in future.
It will also be forbidden to swap the new rears for Germany around, since they too are asymmetric. The front tyres remain unaltered.
The tyres to be used at the Nuerburgring had been made originally for teams to try out in Canada last month. But they were not used due to bad weather and opposition from Ferrari, Force India and Lotus whose cars were easier on the tyres and who feared giving up an advantage.
Those tyres to be introduced in Hungary at the end of July will have a symmetrical structure with the 2013 compounds.
"I'd like to re-emphasise the fact that the 2013 range of tyres, used in the correct way, is completely safe," said Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery.
"What happened at Silverstone though has led us to ask for full access to real-time tyre data to ensure the correct usage and development of tyres that have the sophistication we were asked to provide and extremely high performance that has lowered lap times by more than two seconds on average.
"While we wait for a change in the rules, we will introduce tyres that are easier to manage."
Formula One teams will test the tyres for Hungary at Silverstone from July 17-19. Silverstone's owners had said reports that sharp edges on the circuit's kerbs might have been to blame for the blowouts were "absolute rubbish".
Pirelli said the Silverstone failures were unrelated to previous problems of 'delamination' - when the tread is penetrated by debris and separates from the belt underneath, peeling away from the main body, or carcass, of the tyre.
"What happened at Silverstone was completely unexpected and it was the first time that anything like this has ever occurred in more than a century of Pirelli in motorsport," said Hembery.
"These incidents, which have upset us greatly, have stressed the urgency of the changes that we already suggested."
Can't really fault the manufacturer if the teams are going against their recommendation, had a feeling the setup had something to do with this.
It's not like Pirelli have mentioned camber before, still shows that teams aren't learning or willing to listen...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/14699837
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/14699837
FIA race director Charlie Whiting says they almost abandoned the Silverstone Grand Prix mid-race because of the tyre problems.
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/8804385/fia-considered-stopping-silverstone
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/8804385/fia-considered-stopping-silverstone
why are they asking De Resta about the tyre's his team is not bothered.
Alonso's car lasted 6 mins of FP1.
I bet there is a lot of nervous drivers and teams in the FP, some drivers have said they may withdraw if the tyres fail again.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/23190671
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/23190671
Ah the tyres will be fine. I mean, they've been degrading all season, but Silverstone is the only time we've seen them actually explode like that. It must have been unique circumstances exacerbated by the tyres. I'm almost certain it won't happen again.
Though that's not to say the tyre situation won't still be a farce -- as it has been all season -- in terms of making the drivers crawl around trying to conserve them; I just don't think the tyres will actually explode and thus cause a safety threat this week.
Though that's not to say the tyre situation won't still be a farce -- as it has been all season -- in terms of making the drivers crawl around trying to conserve them; I just don't think the tyres will actually explode and thus cause a safety threat this week.
Yeah they look fine in FP , have noticed quite a few team moaning heat in the tyres.
The kevlar belt does not hold the heat like the steel belt.
The kevlar belt does not hold the heat like the steel belt.
Vettel had the best of FP3.
Lewis spent most of FP3 moaning about this back end not be stable.
Lewis spent most of FP3 moaning about this back end not be stable.
With Pirelli changing tyres you have to feel that Red Bull have the championship sown up. Ferrari and Lotus had an advantage with tyre management but that seems to have been negated. Vettel over a second clear of Alonso in FP3.
Can't see past Red Bull for this race.
looks like no surprises in the first session
Lewis found some speed for Q2
He was slow only just scrapped in.
Not a lot in it between the top four.
Rosberg out in Q2 
massive feck up by Mercedes
Rosberg's team mess up in Q2 and he gets eliminated while sitting in the garage
These F1 drivers seem so unlucky when it comes to their home races. Hamilton has his tyre blown at Silverstone, Rosberg is out in Q2 in Germany.
That was a fast la by Massa and Rosburg out in Q2.
Mercedes fecked it up there badly.
Mercedes fecked it up there badly.
That was bizzare, the track improved by like 8 tenths in 5 minutes.
a driver from a top team should never be knocked out of Q2 sat in the garage.
Merc.
that Q2 did not go the way I expected, hopefully Q3 will be a good one.
WOW fast lap from Lewis.
Vettel will improve, Raikkonen too I think.
Alonso gone out on Medium, not going for Pole
Lewis setting purple sectors.
Lewis on pole.