There was a lot of work to be done yesterday on Pirelli's new tyres for 2021 which were tested during FP2. Many drivers complained that they had no grip, but according to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, the tyres are necessary to guarantee safety.
Wolff says that the new tyres are really necessary to ensure that there are no incidents like the ones that happened in a number of races this year. "We need to prevent incidents such as we have had this year. That is why we need to support Pirelli. These cars are generating more downforce than we could ever have predicted and that is increasing every year. So Pirelli has to react," says the Austrian team boss to Motorsport.com.
"Incidents were terrifying"
"Lance Stroll's incident in Mugello was terrifying, just like what happened to Max Verstappen on Imola. We were also close on two occasions with Lewis. That's why developing a product that is a bit more robust, or heavier, is the only solution. And that is why I understand that Pirelli chose this process. The current tyres simply can't cope with it any more," says the top executive at Mercedes.
"I also understand that drivers don't like driving with a tyre that is heavier and has less grip, of course there is a negative reaction. But the cars are not set up properly for these tyres, they were just put under them yesterday."