| By Jonathan Noble | Tuesday, July 2nd 2013, 19:51 GMT |
Pirelli has moved to dismiss suggestions that it is in fresh conflict with the teams, despite claiming that it was how outfit's used their tyres that caused the Silverstone failures.
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| By Matt Beer | Wednesday, July 3rd 2013, 09:37 GMT |
Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff says the British Grand Prix tyre drama fall-out shows that Pirelli needs to be more specific in its stipulations to Formula 1 teams
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| By Jonathan Noble and Matt Beer | Wednesday, July 3rd 2013, 11:46 GMT |
Paul di Resta says all he can do to get himself into contention for one of the top-team Formula 1 drives potentially available in 2014 is to keep impressing at Force India
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| By Jonathan Noble | Tuesday, July 2nd 2013, 10:47 GMT |
Motor racing's governing body has agreed to a change of the testing regulations that will allow teams to use their regular drivers to help out with tyre work at the Silverstone test from July 17-19.
The move comes on the back of the multiple Pirelli tyre failures at the British Grand Prix, and should help Pirelli find a solution that will eradicate the problems it has suffered so far this year.
But with the FIA making it clear that the experienced drivers are only allowed to work on the emergency tyre programme, it plans to send its own officials to the test.
These observers will check the running programmes of every team to ensure any car development work is only done by the 'young' drivers who will still be present at the test.
Pirelli has still yet to announce the result of its investigation of what went wrong at Silverstone to cause the series of failures.
The company is expected to announce later on Tuesday that it will bring the Kevlar-belted tyres that were trialled at the Canadian Grand Prix to Germany this weekend.
A bigger change of specification will then come in time for the Hungarian GP, with teams able to test these tyres at Silverstone.
Pirelli also has two further private tests planned in the next few weeks, with the FIA having told its motorsport director Paul Hembery at Silverstone that it would be willing to allow the tyre company to use a 2013 car if it is required.
| Tuesday, July 2nd 2013, 09:54 GMT |
Pastor Maldonado: Although the Nurburgring layout has changed recently and lost some of its old character, it's still a pretty fast and flowing track which I tend to like and offers some good overtaking opportunities. It's one of the most technical circuits on the calendar and we have been working hard to improve our cars balance in slow, technical corners. Tyre degradation is likely to be high as well, but in the last couple of races we have shown that we can control this quite well so that should give us a boost. The weather is often cold and can change throughout the weekend which is a challenge for all teams, but variable conditions would suit us. I just missed out on a points finish at Silverstone and will be looking to go a step better in this race.
Valtteri Bottas: The Nurburgring is a very challenging track as it has a broad mixture of corners which makes car set-up difficult. I really like the hi-speed sections in particular, especially the fast left and right corners leading to the back straight. The weather is often changeable so we will be preparing for the possibility of a wet weekend. I've always enjoyed driving in tricky conditions though and our car is currently performing better in the wet/damp conditions so I will be hoping that we do see some showers. With tyre management being so important, and teams not having raced here last season, we will be trying to get as much data from the practice sessions as possible to make sure that we are racing on Sunday with the optimum strategy. The team will be continuing our 600th race celebrations in Germany and we will be looking to score some points to give the people back at the factory an extra boost.
Mike Coughlan, Technical Director: Nurburgring is quite a technical track with lots of challenging corner sequences and camber changes. There can also be variable weather which adds another element into the mix, although we don't see many safety cars, with only two being deployed in the last ten races. It is a slower speed circuit with a below average top speed and the average corner speed is similar to what we see in Barcelona. The circuit is about 600 metres above sea level so engine power is low and downforce is reduced. We'll reach our 600th race as a team at the German Grand Prix and we will be looking to mark this milestone with a strong finish this weekend.
| By Edd Straw and Jonathan Noble | Tuesday, July 2nd 2013, 10:09 GMT |
Fernando Alonso had been a pre-event favourite for victory at Silverstone, with the team having excelled on high-speed tracks so far this season.
But a lacklustre showing in qualifying, where he was only 10th fastest, hurt his chances of victory.
Although Alonso recovered to finish third and close down to the gap to championship leader Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari says it was the lack of pace that was a much bigger concern.
Domenicali said: "This weekend in terms of performance was not very good.
"We need to understand in these two or three days at home why.
"There is something that I would say is bigger than little details that caused us not to be better at Silverstone.
"This is the most important thing that we have to work on - understand and recover the performance."
Alonso's podium finish, allied to Vettel's retirement, meant that he cut the deficit to his rival to 21 points.
Domenicali said that the urgency to keep on delivering has increased though, because it now appears that Mercedes is going to be a regular threat for wins.
"We have seen that not only Red Bull now is strong, but Mercedes is very strong and they have solved their issue in terms of tyre degradation," he said.
"Now, if we want to win the championship, and that's still the objective we have, we need to improve the car."
| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, July 1st 2013, 10:37 GMT |
A perfect storm of kerb design, track layout, internal shockwaves and low pressures is likely to have caused the British Grand Prix tyre dramas, according to leading Formula 1 engineers.
As Pirelli continues analysis of the remains of the tyre blow-outs at its Milan headquarters, preliminary investigations have pointed towards a combination of factors being to blame.
Much of the focus during the race was on the kerb layout at Silverstone; with drivers being advised to stay clear of them during the race once it emerged that damage was being done to the tyres.
Following feedback from drivers and a first look at the tyres, a closer inspection of the kerbs after the race indicated that there were two areas of the track that were of particular concern.
The serrated surface there is likely to have put increased strain on the inside edge of the left rear tyre, especially with tyre pressures being run as low as possible for performance reasons.
Running pressures low is good for durability, but it means the contact patch of the tyre moves towards the inside shoulder - the very area that was being punished by the kerbs.
As Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey said: "The tyre failures appeared to have been from the inside shoulder of the rear tyre. By raising the pressure then you move the contact pressure [patch] more to the centre of the tyre and less onto the edge."
TYRE SHOCKWAVES
Allied to potential cuts being caused by running across the kerbs - as drivers were also doing at The Loop – the Aintree shortcut may also have set off what one engineer suggested was a 'shockwave' inside the tyre.
This shockwave is something that can be exacerbated with the kind of steel belt design that has been introduced for this year, which is why the kerb factors were not a problem in 2012 when Pirelli's tyres featured a Kevlar belt.
With the steel-belt tyres running around 10-degrees centigrade hotter than last year's Kevlar version, any temperature increase caused by the shockwaves will have put the rubber closer to the danger zone.
The other area of the track that is being singled out as a factor is the kerb on the exit of Becketts where drivers prepare for the left hander at Chapel curve onto Hangar straight.
This will have likely put tremendous forces on to the inside shoulder of the tyre which, allied to the internal shockwaves caused by the rough area, helped trigger the failures that occurred on the Hangar straight.
Pirelli's forensic investigations are expected to deliver a definitive answer on the causes of the problem in the next 48 hours.
If the combination of kerb design, tyre specification and pressures is proven as the cause, then it will only increase the need for Pirelli to take action prior to the next race in Germany where similar factors could also come into play.
| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, July 1st 2013, 11:48 GMT |
Hamilton's own victory hopes were dashed by a tyre blow-out while leading, but the fact that he could stage a fight back to fourth, allied to Rosberg holding on at the front, showed that Mercedes has made a huge step forward with its degradation issues.
And although Hamilton is still 43 points adrift of leader Sebastian Vettel in the standings, he thinks that the team is now able to put pressure on Red Bull.
"While there was all this talk about tyres and everything, there are massive positives to take out of this weekend," said Hamilton after the British Grand Prix.
"The team and Nico won, and we got some good points. We are second in the constructors' championship now, which is a real big plus.
"I am grateful I could come back through the field and get the points that I did, because I am now 43 points off Sebastian and we have a good car.
"We are improving. Just look at the improvements we have made for tyre degradation."
When asked if he believed he could actually win the title, Hamilton said: "I am just trying to stay within shooting distance and stay within the fight. That is all I am focusing on at the moment."
Hamilton has yet to win a race this year, but with Mercedes' form having stepped up recently he is convinced his moment will come soon.
"I look forward to the next races and I hope we can do something positive. I am sure at some stage my time will come."
| By Jonathan Noble | Monday, July 1st 2013, 11:57 GMT |
It had initially been suggested that the test, which takes place on July 17-19, would be closed to fans.
However, following discussions with the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA), tickets for all three days are now available.
As well as on-track action from the 10 teams involved, teams have also agreed that show cars will be put on display at the end of each day.
The young driver test has been in the headlines recently, with Mercedes banned from it because of its secret Pirelli test, and some teams now pushing to let their race drivers take part to help F1's current tyre crisis.
| By Jonathan Noble | Saturday, June 29th 2013, 18:50 GMT |
The Scot had secured fifth on the grid at Silverstone but his car came in 1.5kg underweight in post-qualifying scrutineering.
Even with a mandatory fuel sample on board, the car weighed only 641.5 kg - which is 0.5 kg below the minimum weight.
After the FIA drained the car of fuel, it was found it weighed just 640kg, two kilogrammes under the limit.
With a 0.5kg tolerance accepted for the scales' accuracy, it was ruled that the car was officially 1.5kg underweight.
After the matter was referred to the race stewards, it was decided that the team had been in breach of the regulations and di Resta was thrown out of the results.
He can now start the British GP from the back of the grid.
It is understood the issue revolved around the weight of di Resta himself after qualifying - as the driver and car are combined to reach the 642kg limit.
There are suggestions that di Resta's weight check at the end of qualifying was 1.5kg below his normal weight - which he had been after free practice.
Although some consideration was given to appealing the matter because of the discrepancy, Force India in the end has decided to accept the verdict - meaning di Resta will start his home race last.
