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Mattia Binotto questions “current process” of 2019 tyre specification

Mattia Binotto questions “current process” of 2019 tyre specification

22-08-2019 15:46
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Bevan Youl

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has questioned the “current process” in which the tyre specification for the 2019 Pirelli tyres are established but insists it isn’t their fault.

The Scuderia have been one of the teams that tried prompting for a swap back to the previous season tyres having found it difficult to get the into the optimum working range.
 
The idea to change them ended in a 50:50 vote meaning the current tyres would stay at  seven out of the 10 teams needed to vote for the change to happen.
 
Binnoto said to Motorsport.com: “The current process for me looks wrong.

“Because, there were the tyres which are decided for the season, to change them you need 70 percent of the team in agreement.

“If we could first decide for the season what should be the spec at 70 percent [of team approval], then I'm happy that we can revert at 70 percent.

“But here at the moment we have no power on, let me say, what could be the tyre choice for the season, and then we can only at 70 percent change it.”

The Italian stressed that he wasn’t trying to blame Pirelli for current tyre situation and that they have helped provide the teams with necessary information.

“It’s nothing to do with Pirelli, I think they're trying to do their best.” Binotto added.

“We've got a target letter where we are trying to specify what should be the tyre specification, the target letter didn't exist in years [past].

“Today they're always trying to improve how to approach the technical exercise.

“[But the] target letter [is] only indicating what should be tyre degradation, what should be the delta laptime between the compounds, but it's certainly not specifying which should be the working range, et cetera. And in that respect again we cannot blame Pirelli.

“Certainly today the tyres are difficult to warm up, very narrow window, overheating when they are sliding or when you are behind another car.

“So is that something that should be done differently or improved for the future? Yes."