2 Pirelli tyres under the spotlight (again)
Whenever a Formula 1 race features multiple blowouts the glare of criticism inevitably falls on Pirelli, but this is a complex scenario.
There were four failures in this race, so nowhere near as dramatic as in 2013, after which certain suspension and tyre pressure limits were imposed for safety. However, an investigation by Alphatauri and Pirelli found Kvyat’s failure was caused by the inside of the right-rear wheel rim overheating, which burned the bead of the tyre that connects the rubber to the wheel. The bead was no longer sealed onto the rim, so the tyre itself played no part in the cause of Kvyat’s accident.
“As soon as you feel understeer you just back out of it,” said Mclaren’s Lando Norris. “You end up having problems where the front tyre just pops off. Silverstone and the front-left tyre are not friends, never have been.”
The majority attempted a one-stop race, with an abnormally long near-40-lap second stint. Carlos Sainz and Bottas both reported vibrations near the end. It’s possible they and Hamilton were simply pushing too hard for too long, but given the cuts seen on tyres coming off cars it’s possible – and Hamilton was convinced – debris from Kvyat’s shunt and Räikkönen’s wing also contributed.
Pirelli’s Mario Isola said the level of wear was approaching 100% of the limit for the hard compound, making the tyres more vulnerable to debris, and then “it depends on the set-up, on the level of energy, the driving style, the conditions”. Blisters occurred on the right-hand side tyres, so were irrelevant.
Ultimately this will come down to teams pushing the limits of what’s possible, coupled with the incredibly high speeds, forces and challenging conditions of Silverstone placing abnormal stress on the tyres. Everyone was playing with fire; unfortunately, some got burned.