Pirelli face competition from Michelin.
Pirelli’s Monday bulletin read: “In November 2013, Pirelli requested that there should be rules to govern the maximum number of laps that can be driven on the same set of tyres, among other parameters to do with correct tyre usage. This request was not accepted.”
It added that the plan was for the harder tyre at each race to be allowed to do a maximum of half of the race distance, while for the softer tyre it was just 30 per cent. If this rule had been imposed then the limit on tyre life would have been 22 laps at Spa-Francorchamps. Vettel completed 27 laps before his right rear shattered.
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Ferrari and Pirelli will sit down to discuss the incident and its very public fallout. It is a sensitive time for F1’s tyre suppliers, with their contract up for renewal amid competition from Michelin. Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One’s chief executive, is a big supporter of Pirelli, largely because of their significant commercial investment in the sport, including trackside advertising.
But condemnation of Pirelli has become all too common a theme. After the British Grand Prix two years ago, when there were six spectacular tyre failures, Pirelli were forced to change the construction of the tyres and received a barrage of criticism.
Pic, pictured driving with Marussia, has legal trouble with Lotus
Meanwhile, the financially-troubled Lotus team were waiting anxiously last night to see if they could transport their cars back to the UK after bailiffs arrived at their garage on Sunday after the race. Lotus have been taken to court by their former reserve driver Charles Pic who claims he is owed money by the team.