OT: F1 Rant, This is ridiculous Options

[ThePaintedMan]

Flame away F1 fans, I don't care. But the current tire situation is absolutely ridiculous. Tires that delaminate within 10-20 laps at Silverstone? You and I both know we wouldn't drive our cars knowing those kind of odds.

This is 2013, not 1967. We have safer tracks, HANS devices, onboard fire extinguishers, seat belts, roll cages, fuel cells, the list goes on. Asking a tire supplier to provide tires that are technologically inferior and ultimately dangerous is ludicrous to me... all in the name of making things more "interesting" and to ultimately make more money.

Doesn't Bernie remember Indy in 2005? Tires were coming apart on Michelin-shod cars and he wouldn't budge to install a chicane, even though Bridgestone agreed to it. Now he is forcing the world's most technologically advanced cars to run on tires that are on par with 1980s era technology and endangering people's lives.

I, for one, will not watch another Formula 1 race. Sportscar racing is always where my heart has been - it's what I grew up on and I believe it's what's always been at the forefront of making cars safer, faster, and better for the future. It's clear to me that F1 is hypocritical, unnecessarily endangering people's lives, and ultimately unimaginative. If that's how you need to draw more fans, count me out.

[whatabout1]

I believe that the problem is no testing allowed with current cars.

How can any company design and refine tires if they are not allowed to run them on current cars ?

The current test band is just stupid ! I hear some very limited testing will be allowed in 2014 (new engines (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) )

Bring back the 3rd car on Fridays, get some testing in and give some seat time to the reserve drivers.
All of the teams bring a complete 3rd car to every race anyways. It just has to be completely disassembled when it arrives at the track.

Yea, F1 does some really stupid stuff (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[ChrisFoley]

The tires were not delaminating from inadequate construction.
The teams have been running them at very low pressures to squeeze more longevity and performance out of them.
The high speed sweeping turns at Silverstone, combined with the low tire pressures were causing enough flex in the tires that the inner edge was getting cut by the back side of the kerbing when the drivers would drive the outside tires completely over the kerbs and back onto the track.

[ThePaintedMan]

The tires were not delaminating from inadequate construction.
The teams have been running them at very low pressures to squeeze more longevity and performance out of them.
The high speed sweeping turns at Silverstone, combined with the low tire pressures were causing enough flex in the tires that the inner edge was getting cut by the back side of the kerbing when the drivers would drive the outside tires completely over the kerbs and back onto the track.

I can understand that, and as with any tires, user error/experimentation can produce bad results.

However, the fact that tires are being purposely made inferior in comparison to the full potential of the supplier's capability, is cause for alarm for me personally.

[ChrisFoley]

They showed a pic of Seb's LR option tire shortly after they called him in to put on his first set of primes.
His tire showed the damage pretty well, and would have come apart soon if he stayed out.
A big chunk of tread was missing at the inside edge of the contact area.
It definitely looked like something had cut it.

I don't think its the tire mfr's responsibility to make the tires impervious to everything the drivers might subject them to.

[carr914]

The tires were not delaminating from inadequate construction.
The teams have been running them at very low pressures to squeeze more longevity and performance out of them.
The high speed sweeping turns at Silverstone, combined with the low tire pressures were causing enough flex in the tires that the inner edge was getting cut by the back side of the kerbing when the drivers would drive the outside tires completely over the kerbs and back onto the track.

It was a New Construction Method of Tires this weekend

[yeahmag]

I agree with Chris. Red Bull went up 2 PSI and did not have a failure (of the tire anyway...). I thought that race was awesome! One of the more interesting races this year!

[carr914]

I think all the Teams went up 2 PSI and there was still a Blow-Out after that!

The Fact is that it was a Very Dangerous Situation that should Not exist in this Day & Age!

[ThePaintedMan]

It's just the premise that bothers me. Fuching with tires in order to produce a more "interesting" outcome is a no-no. They are ultimately the only connection between the car and the road, and certainly the most important. Its a disgusting and unimaginative way to create the perceived sense of competition. Make the races longer or find other ways to slow the cars down, but don't ask a tire company to supply an inferior product. If I were Pirelli I would have at minimum demanded in-season testing at the outset, if not rejected the idea of making super-wearing tires outright.

If I were a driver I would refuse to drive on them till I knew the obvious problems were at least addressed. Keep in mind, this has been a season long problem. It's not simply the curbs at Silverstone.

[ChrisFoley]

I think all the Teams went up 2 PSI and there was still a Blow-Out after that!

I'm pretty sure most everyone was on their second set before the pressures were increased 2psi.
IIRC JEV had the only failure after the first round of pit stops.

I believe that the teams were not following the tire mfr's recommended pressures - in an effort to gain some performance.
Just like they were not following the recommended camber settings last year and were having problems with premature failure then too.

[6freak]

ya dont see that crap from good year
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[6freak]

Pardon me! Goodyear
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[carr914]

I think all the Teams went up 2 PSI and there was still a Blow-Out after that!

I'm pretty sure most everyone was on their second set before the pressures were increased 2psi.
IIRC JEV had the only failure after the first round of pit stops.

I believe that the teams were not following the tire mfr's recommended pressures - in an effort to gain some performance.
Just like they were not following the recommended camber settings last year and were having problems with premature failure then too.

Sergio Perez of McLaren had the last Blow-out pretty late in the Race

[bulitt]

So today at the Ring, it appears they moved to a more conservative stronger tire to last longer. Now they have no grip, lots of offs?

For a bunch of smart guys they really fuched this up.

[carr914]

No, all cars are carrying a Spare!