Photo: Mercedes AMG F1
If you are a Formula 1 fan who has followed what has been going on, you might be aware that tire blankets could become a relic of a bygone era. The FIA is planning to phase them out by the 2024 season, which, unsurprisingly, does not make the drivers happy, with Lewis Hamilton spearheading another driver movement.
A test has been performed in Austin during the 2022 season, with the outcome proving rather unpromising. Drivers were certainly not delighted by the performance of the cars with cold tires on, raising quite a few concerns after the test.
When that happened, it was Red Bull Driver Max Verstappen who was the most vocal, stating that “Your tire degradation is going to be completely different because your tires are very cold, you’re sliding around a lot in the first few laps, your tire pressures are going to go through the roof, so your tires are going to dig a lot more. At the moment I don’t really enjoy it, but a lot of drivers say the same and we have to of course find a solution to that. Austin is still a track where you can easily switch on the tires because of the high-speed corners. But if you go to a track like a street circuit, like Monaco, can you imagine half-and-half conditions, I think it’s going to take like half the race before you have temperature in your tires.”
His thoughts were echoed by McLaren star Lando Norris, who pointed out how dangerous going out with cold tires could be. According to the British driver, such a decision poses risks even in the most beneficial situations, and it is downright unbearable in the worst, with no driver supporting this shift. Back then, experienced drivers like Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen made similar statements.
As the teams are putting in laps around the Bahrain International Circuit, another big name in Formula 1 adopts the same stance. Lewis Hamilton chose to speak up against the removal of tire blankets in the sport.
The Brit brought into the spotlight another issue with the decision ahead of the voting that will take place after this year’s British GP. You see, one of the reasons cited by the FIA for going without blankets was a concern for the environment. The measure was meant to make the sport greener, but that is definitely not the case, according to Hamilton, who is known for speaking up on environmental concerns.
The seven-time World Champion explained how the drivers needed to burn more fuel in order to bring the Pirelli tires up to temperature, making the entire process pointless. He went on to say that the tire blanket change also brings unnecessary risks into the sport, echoing what had been said before. The Brit also mentioned a very specific situation, where two drivers might race wheel-to-wheel with one being on fresh, cold tires, which could potentially cause a crash.
Carlos Sainz was also quick to make his thoughts known, “I still don’t understand why F1 is moving away from blankets, because for me it makes no sense. You are burning more fuel and more tires. Even on sustainability, I just don’t understand the philosophy. Also, there are risks with these lower ride heights.”
With backlash coming in from the driver, Pirelli’s F1 and motorsport director Mario Isola gave some ground. He admitted that, despite the complete removal of tire blankets not being impossible, it is a tremendous challenge. Albeit, he was quick to shift the responsibility back to the teams, which are unlikely to accept this change.
When that happened, it was Red Bull Driver Max Verstappen who was the most vocal, stating that “Your tire degradation is going to be completely different because your tires are very cold, you’re sliding around a lot in the first few laps, your tire pressures are going to go through the roof, so your tires are going to dig a lot more. At the moment I don’t really enjoy it, but a lot of drivers say the same and we have to of course find a solution to that. Austin is still a track where you can easily switch on the tires because of the high-speed corners. But if you go to a track like a street circuit, like Monaco, can you imagine half-and-half conditions, I think it’s going to take like half the race before you have temperature in your tires.”
His thoughts were echoed by McLaren star Lando Norris, who pointed out how dangerous going out with cold tires could be. According to the British driver, such a decision poses risks even in the most beneficial situations, and it is downright unbearable in the worst, with no driver supporting this shift. Back then, experienced drivers like Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen made similar statements.
As the teams are putting in laps around the Bahrain International Circuit, another big name in Formula 1 adopts the same stance. Lewis Hamilton chose to speak up against the removal of tire blankets in the sport.
The Brit brought into the spotlight another issue with the decision ahead of the voting that will take place after this year’s British GP. You see, one of the reasons cited by the FIA for going without blankets was a concern for the environment. The measure was meant to make the sport greener, but that is definitely not the case, according to Hamilton, who is known for speaking up on environmental concerns.
The seven-time World Champion explained how the drivers needed to burn more fuel in order to bring the Pirelli tires up to temperature, making the entire process pointless. He went on to say that the tire blanket change also brings unnecessary risks into the sport, echoing what had been said before. The Brit also mentioned a very specific situation, where two drivers might race wheel-to-wheel with one being on fresh, cold tires, which could potentially cause a crash.
Carlos Sainz was also quick to make his thoughts known, “I still don’t understand why F1 is moving away from blankets, because for me it makes no sense. You are burning more fuel and more tires. Even on sustainability, I just don’t understand the philosophy. Also, there are risks with these lower ride heights.”
With backlash coming in from the driver, Pirelli’s F1 and motorsport director Mario Isola gave some ground. He admitted that, despite the complete removal of tire blankets not being impossible, it is a tremendous challenge. Albeit, he was quick to shift the responsibility back to the teams, which are unlikely to accept this change.
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