There has been many failures of tyres at multiple tracks this season, Malaysia, Bahrain and Spain but Silverstone has really brought safety concerns to the fore with six separate tyre failure over the weekend. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso being very lucky to avoid being hit by flying rubber at 160mph after Sergio Perez’ left rear tyre delaminated suddenly on the Hangar Straight. I’m sure that Pirelli will blame the curbs or debris, but in reality the tyres have become so fragile that cutting across curbs causes damages to the sidewall of the tyre. Cutting across curbs has been commonplace for as far back as I can remember, even the rules state that two wheels must stay within the confines of the track, e.g. the white lines which means that two wheels can be over the line and on the curb.
Although I’d say it’s unfair to blame Pirelli 100% for these failures, the FiA also have to take a large chunk of the blame for pushing the Italian tyre maker into making fast(er) degrading tyres to improve the spectacle. Making the tyres faster degrading also means they have to be made inherently weaker to allow for that degradation and this is the result, drivers coming within inches of being killed by high speed flying rubber. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, McLaren’s Jenson Button and Ferrrari’s Fernando Alonso all criticised Pirelli for the multiple failures over the British GP weekend.
We are now 8 races into the season and the problem of tyre delaminations is becoming increasingly common. Pirelli wanted to change the design of the tyres but were blocked by some teams, all teams need to agree for a change of tyre design unless on the grounds of safety. But Pirelli refused to say that the changes to the tyre design were on safety grounds, basically it’s more about PR for Pirelli than safety of the drivers and marshals. If Pirelli said that the change was necessary on safety grounds, the teams wouldn’t be able to Veto the change of tyre, stupid F1 politics are getting in the way of safety which is unacceptable. I hope that Pirelli get dealt some serious punishment when they are hauled in front of the FiA Council on Wednesday, it’s clearly a safety issue with the tyres.
But the FiA have a problem, if they piss Pirelli off too much; the Italian tyre maker might decide to walk away from F1 as they are not contracted to supply tyres beyond the end of 2013. Which would leave the sport without a tyre maker, the FiA have no backup plan, no other tyre manufacturer are interested in and/or able to supply F1 tyres for 2014. Pirelli literally have the FiA by the testicles.
What are the immediate options for the next two races before the mid-season hiatus? Pirelli are unlikely to be able to manufacture new tyres before the German GP, so the FiA really has two options, (1) bring in an emergency rule prohibiting the use of the curbs, e.g all four wheels must remain inside the white painted lines. (2) Change the design of the curbs so it doesn’t cut the sidewall of the tyre, of course this is based upon the assumption that the curbs are the problem.
Whatever the solution may be; tyre failures at four separate tracks and a variety of chassis has been very damaging to the image or the sport and Pirelli as a brand; it’s a situation that should have been rectified after Malaysia but F1 politics and Pirelli’s unwillingness to call any change of design a safety issue has left F1 with this dire situation, systems and procedure need to change, and fast!