Pirelli has responded to Lewis Hamilton’s plea to supply higher rain tyres after System 1’s Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying was postponed for adversarial climate circumstances.
Qualifying in Sao Paulo was first delayed and finally postponed to Sunday morning following heavy rain showers and thunderstorms, which brought about standing water on numerous elements of the circuit.
Regardless of one of the best efforts of the marshals, extra rain prevented race management from finishing a qualifying session forward of sundown at 18:20 native time, with qualifying instead taking place at 7:30 local time (10:30 GMT) on Sunday morning.
With extra rain anticipated, the race time was brought forward to 12:30 to present race management one of the best odds of getting the race within the books.
Moist climate
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
Explaining the rain delay
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali apologised for the delay to the followers, hoping they’d perceive that “to race in these circumstances is unimaginable”.
Whereas talking to F1 TV, Domenicali was interrupted by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who urged the F1 chief to verify Pirelli gives higher moist tyres and brings again the usage of tyre blankets for its blue-walled compound, which have been solely eliminated final yr.
“It is best to’ve despatched us out, that is ridiculous, we should always exit!,” Hamilton instructed Domenicali in a pleasant, joking method. “For those who give us higher moist tyres or blankets we would be able to run on this. I am placing you on the spot proper now.”
The viability of Pirelli’s moist tyres has lengthy been some extent of criticism amongst F1 drivers. As a result of its intermediate compound is way more performant, Pirelli’s full wets have restricted use because the circumstances during which they’re most well-liked to intermediates are usually too excessive for F1 automobiles to run in anyway.
Pirelli check
Picture by: Pirelli
Enhancements on the horizon?
Pirelli’s motorsports chief Mario Isola acknowledged that the producer must step up its rain tyre efficiency, with improvement ongoing for subsequent yr. However he defined that it’s missing moist tyre testing information from probably the most demanding circuits to expand steps, with wet-tyre checks a lot tougher to organise.
“It’s true that we have to enhance the efficiency of the moist tyre to generate a correct crossover with the intermediate,” Isola stated.
“That is our goal. Subsequent yr we may have a brand new moist tyre with some small modifications, as a result of sadly we did not have the likelihood to have a correct check with the moist tyre on a excessive severity circuit. That’s precisely what we miss.
“We modified somewhat bit the tread sample, labored on the development and on a brand new compound. We discovered an enchancment. I can not inform you whether it is sufficient or not.”
The protection automobile on observe within the moist
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
Isola additionally identified that, whereas he could not communicate for FIA race director Niels Wittich and his choice to name off qualifying on Saturday, there have been seemingly a number of different security components behind the postponement of qualifying slightly than the efficiency of Pirelli’s tyres.
“I do not know why Niels determined to not give it the inexperienced mild to the session,” he added. “I do not know whether it is due to visibility, standing water, threat of aquaplaning, or every other ingredient. I did not communicate to Niels, so I’ve no info on that.
“If it is simply efficiency [on the wet tyre], it signifies that they go slower, that is all. So the quickest of the sluggish automobiles is setting one of the best time.
“We’re absolutely conscious we’ve got to enhance the efficiency of the moist tyre. However you’ll be able to run on these moist tyres, it isn’t that you just can not run.”
As a part of Pirelli’s wet-tyre improvement programme, Mercedes took half in a check at Magny-Cours final month. The check was performed by reserve driver Mick Schumacher and George Russell, with Hamilton not collaborating.
On the primary day of the check, Schumacher was restricted to simply 29 laps because the observe was too moist for significant working, additional underlining F1’s long-standing wet-weather points.
Pirelli’s different choices to check its wet-weather compounds are to move to Fiorano or Paul Ricard, two circuits which have sprinklers put in to moist the observe floor.
Watch: What Brazil’s Rained Off Qualifying Means for Sundays Race – F1 Saturday Response