Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli has insisted that they are not to blame for the dangerous blow-outs that compromised driver safety at the British Grand Prix, which is still dominating the 2013 Formula One championship.
Although Pirelli is facing intense scrutiny and attracted more media attention after the race than Nico Rosberg, who won the race for Mercedes, it has said that it was how the teams chose to use the tyres that led to the rubber unraveling on six cars, CNN reports.
The report said that the cars included the one driven by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who led the race early on, and both Ferraris.
Stating that a series of different causes led to the tire failures at Silverstone, Pirelli said in a statement that the right-hand tyre being placed where the left-hand one should be and vice versa on the cars had led to the failures.
Pirelli further stated that low tyre pressure, extreme cambers (the angle at which the tire slants away from the car) and high kerbs were also reasons behind the failures, adding that the 2013 tires do not compromise safety if used in the correct way.
Pirelli has announced that it has strengthened its tyres for Sunday’s German Grand Prix, as major blowouts in last Sunday’s British Grand Prix forced players and FIA officials to take strong exception to the problem.
The internal belt of the tyres will now be made of Kevlar instead of steel to stop a repeat of what happened with Hamilton and the other high-speed explosions, although only rear tyres are expected to change with the fronts remaining the same.
Stating that the Silverstone incidents were completely unexpected, Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery said that they have stressed the urgency of the changes which they themselves have suggested, adding that they have taken their responsibilities upon themselves.
Welcoming Pirelli’s explanation and planned changes, Mercedes motorsport director Toto Wolff said that he believes that Pirelli is going to be clearer in advising the teams now onwards.