Tyred rubber triggers probe
UNUSUAL WEAR OF CONCERN TO PIRELLI AHEAD OF 70TH ANNIVERSARY RACE
The British Grand Prix was somewhat processional with the usual suspects at the sharp end, followed by the highly competitive midfield. An optimistic overtaking manoeuvre from Red Bull’s Alex Albon put paid to Kevin Magnussen’s Haas, that ended in the barrier, less the left front wheel and suspension.
An unexpected meeting with another barrier ended Daniil Kvyat’s day after an unexplained failure catapulted the Alpha Tauri very rapidly off track.
Fortunately the Russian escaped unscathed.
It was set for a Mercedes one-two but on lap 49 of 52 it all changed.
First it was Valtteri Bottas with a delaminating tyre, then Carlos Sainz with a puncture, and leader Lewis Hamilton with his left front tyre dismantling itself.
The Englishman managed to hold on and take his seventh Silverstone victory.
He was followed by Max Verstappen, who had pitted to change tyres in a bid for the quickest lap which he achieved. That stop possibly cost him a win, as he may have been able to catch the ailing Hamilton Mercedes, but he had to settle for a solid second.
A very surprised Charles Leclerc brought the Ferrari home third.
These incidents led to tyre supplier Pirelli launching an investigation into the tyre failures, as next weekend’s 70th anniversary Grand Prix at the same track is scheduled to use even softer compounds than last weekend.
An intriguing aspect of last weekend’s race were the comments regarding the driving of Romain Grosjean.
The Frenchman has often been somewhat of a mobile chicane and is certainly a difficult and unpredictable driver to overtake,
Last Sunday’s British Grand Prix was no exception.
During Friday’s free practice two, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was on a qualifying simulation lap, when he found the racing line blocked by the slow moving Haas driver.
The Dutchman’s comment was one requiring the censor’s bleeper as he queried Grosjean’s visual acuity.
Pulling alongside, Verstappen gestured his displeasure as Grosjean radioed his engineer saying rather sarcastically: “Of course I did it on purpose. So childish, so childish.”
During Sunday’s race, Carlos Sainz described the antics of the Frenchman as “very dangerous”.
Attempting to pass Grosjean, the McLaren driver was baulked by aggressive moves, resulting in the stewards showing the Haas driver the black and white flag as a result of his “unsportsman like” behaviour.
Post race the stewards stated: “Moving under braking when another car is approaching has been identified by the drivers as a very dangerous manoeuvre.
“Grosjean explained that in both cases his moves were before the braking zone, although in the second case, it was closer.”
However the Haas driver received an official warning for his somewhat aggressive moves to prevent Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo passing him in the later stages of the race.