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'Uncomfortable' Pirelli shifts blame: 'Don't trust the teams anymore'

'Uncomfortable' Pirelli shifts blame: 'Don't trust the teams anymore'

16-06-2021 09:59 Last update: 11:59
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GPblog.com

Pirelli is under fire after two blowouts in Azerbaijan for Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll. Pirelli has tried to cover themselves with an investigation and is pointing the finger at the teams, but Pirelli has no real proof.

Red Bull's own fault?

Two blown tyres in one race on a straight track raises a lot of questions. How can tyres blow out for no reason at all? Pirelli first suspected that it was due to debris or sharp parts on the track, but that turned out not to be the case.

Pirelli point to the circumstances in their investigation, and the timing of the announcement shows, according to Auto, Motor und Sport shows how uncomfortable Pirelli is with the whole situation. ''With this announcement, the tyre supplier is indirectly accusing the teams of not adhering to the prescribed guidelines for tyre pressure. However, as the FIA cannot check this during the race, this conclusion is not based on facts," reports the German medium.

Pirelli versus the F1 teams

That Pirelli and the FIA suspect the teams of allowing the tyre pressure to drop during the race becomes entirely clear from the new test introduced from the French Grand Prix. Where previously teams were checked for their tyre pressures before the race, this will now also happen after a session.

Pirelli and the FIA are therefore diametrically opposed in this discussion. ''Pirelli and the FIA no longer trust the teams' promises to keep to the guidelines. There will now be a protocol which engineers from the teams will have to follow strictly. The FIA wants more insight into all the data," concludes the AMuS analysis.