Pirelli succumbs to F1 tyre pressure

Pirelli has flinched in the wake of heavy criticism over the performance of its Formula 1 tyres and will implement changes in time for the Canadian Grand Prix (9 June).

Although, amusingly, Pirelli’s motorsport director insists the changes are not in reaction to heavy criticism from the teams or Bernie Ecclestone.

After the Spanish Grand Prix Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz lashed out telling Austrian journos, “This is a competition in tyre management. Real racing looks different.

“There is no more real qualifying and fighting for the pole, as everyone is just saving tyres for the race.

“If we would make the best of our car we would have to stop eight or 10 times during a race, depending on the track.”

Mateschitz reportedly met with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone after the race to no doubt share his frustrations. Although the energy drinks tycoon would not confirm what he spoke to Bernie about it’s safe to assume tyres were at the top of his agenda.

2013 F1 cars are too fast

Overnight Pirelli’s motorsport director, Paul Hembery, confirmed changes would be made “in the interests of the sport.” He also said Pirelli did not anticipate the performance of the 2013-spec cars, which are up to one second per lap faster than last year’s cars.

“They have basically been stressing everything too much, and probably we underestimated the performance,” explained Hembery.

Discussing the reasons for the changes Hembery insisted Red Bull did not force his hand. “People will say it is pressure from Red Bull but there has not been excessive pressure from them,” he said.

Bernie shared his views saying, “The tyres are wrong, not what we intended when we asked Pirelli to produce something which did half a race.”

But that didn’t influence Hembery either, who added that Bernie, “was only sharing the comments of the majority, that we had gone a step too far and we needed to come back a bit.

“So I wouldn’t say it was pressure from him, it was really from the fans from a sporting point of view.”

The aim is to try and get back to a stage where only two or three tyre stops are needed each race. Hembery said more detail on the changes will be passed on to the teams later this week.

[Source: BBC | Pic: Pirelli]