Brussels, Aug 26 (IANS) Formula One drivers said on Wednesday that they want tyre blow-outs to end after two dramatic failures at the recently concluded Belgian Grand Prix.
Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) chairman Alexander Wurz said they need to “stop the sudden explosions”.
The intervention comes after Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg suffered tyre failures at close to 200 miles per hour at Spa over the weekend.
Pirelli says it is conducting a forensic investigation to understand why the tires blew out.
“As drivers, we strongly believe the end of a tyre’s performance window can and should not be a tyre delamination in the form of an explosion,” former Formula One driver Wurz was quoted as saying by bbc.com.
“I believe there are technologies which prevent such sudden delamination, but for the short term we need to give Pirelli the freedom and support to introduce any measures they declare safe and fit for F1 racing,” he said.
Wurz — who races for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship — said the GPDA was in contact with governing body the FIA and Pirelli on the issue.
“We request their utmost attention to the tyre blow-outs at Spa. We need to work together to get on top of such safety concerns,” he said.
The drivers are angry with the situation because it reminds them of the 2013 British Grand Prix where six blow-outs in a single race had plunged F1 into a crisis.
Pirelli blamed the failure with Nico Rosberg’s tyre on Friday on a cut, saying it could find no problem with the structure of any tyres.
Pirelli had to make emergency changes to its tyres after that race.
