Drivers pleased with quick response to tyre failures

2013 German Grand Prix

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Drivers praised Pirelli’s efforts to make changes to the tyres for this weekend to prevent a repeat of the punctures seen during the British Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel said: “I think first of all it’s good that here, not even a week’s time, we’ve been able to get a different tyre for this race, which hopefully, is safer for all of us.”

“Obviously the last race was not what we want, not satisfactory, so I think it’s good that we have a new tyre here,” he added. “How much better and how different it will be is difficult to judge at this stage but I’m confident it’s a step forward.”

Sergio Perez, who suffered two tyre failures during the race weekend, also endorsed the change:

“I think it’s definitely important to change for the safety, not any more for the performance. I think it’s very important that we as a driver feel safe. Something that could really have had a big accident in the last race weekend.”

So I think definitely it’s a good thing that Pirelli is reacting to do a change.”

Nico Rosberg, who came close to experiencing a failure during the British Grand Prix, added: “I trust the FIA is going to make the right calls, as they are.”

“They’re working flat-out together with Pirelli so I’m sure there’s going to be progress and it shouldn’t be a concern this weekend.”

However Adrian Sutil questioned whether it had been tyres which caused the problems seen at Silverstone:

“As long as it’s for safety I think they have to improve it, yes. But it hasn’t been 100% that it was a tyre issue.

“The one says it was a tyre issue that caused the punctures in Silverstone, some people say kerbing or something like that. So it’s hard now to see where the problem is.

“But four punctures in a race was too much so they have to get behind it. I feel safe on these tyres and had no problem with them, I’ve had some two-stop races, I did a two-stop strategy in Silverstone, so for me the concern is not so much.”

2013 German Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
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    3 comments on “Drivers pleased with quick response to tyre failures”

    1. Are they changing to the tyres that Merc tested?

      1. Only Pirelli can answer that question, and they don’t need to. Nor do I think they will. It’s irrelevant. They did 100km of testing with Mercedes using non-2014 tires and I’d be surprised if that 100km consisted of 2012 compound tires with Kevlar belting. I think the 100km of testing was likely on the revised 2013 tires that had recently been vetoed by the teams but will now be brought back for testing by the teams at the YDT which for now Mercedes is excluded from. I understand Merc may try to get permission to run for one day with their primary drivers to compile data on the revised tires which is something they didn’t get a chance to do when they tried to help Pirelli back in May.

      2. No @joshua-mesh. Mercedes tested several development tyres for Pirelli’s 2014 development, not for these years tyres (I understood its likely Ferrari did run on these tyres at their pre barcelona test though).

        The tyres Pirelli brought here are the ones that were available for testing on friday in Canada and Silverstone

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