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Teams back F1 drivers after tire pullout threat
Source: Agencies |
July 6, 2013, Saturday
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FORMULA One teams have backed drivers who threatened to boycott tomorrow's German Grand Prix if there is a repeat of the tire chaos which rocked Silverstone last weekend.
The Grand Prix Drivers' Association, which represents most but not all of those on the grid, announced late on Thursday that its drivers will not race if the blow-outs seen in Britain occur again and endanger lives.
Tire supplier Pirelli has brought upgraded rear tires to the Nuerburgring with an inner belt made of the synthetic fiber Kevlar rather than steel and teams hope that will solve the problem. Guidance has also been issued to teams about the correct usage of the tires and pressures required.
"It's the drivers' position at the end of the day and you've got to respect that. They were concerned about what they saw last week - who can blame them at the end of the day?" Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports television yesterday.
"Hopefully it's not going to come anything near to that, but I just think they've laid down a marker to say 'we want this sorted'. We've got a different product here this weekend so I'm sure Pirelli are on top of it."
Horner's comments were echoed across the paddock with first and second practices in Germany passing without incident.
"I have some sympathy with the feelings of the drivers," Marussia sporting director Graeme Lowdon said. "There is no way we, or any of the other teams, would put our drivers in a position that we felt was unsafe."
Any boycott would not be the first in the sport. The most recent was in 2005 when seven teams pulled out of the US Grand Prix in Indianapolis because of tire safety fears.
Pirelli motor sport director Paul Hembery told reporters that the teams had been assured the new tires were safe.
"We explained the changes here and the changes going forward, which we believe are in completely the right direction for them."
The Grand Prix Drivers' Association, which represents most but not all of those on the grid, announced late on Thursday that its drivers will not race if the blow-outs seen in Britain occur again and endanger lives.
Tire supplier Pirelli has brought upgraded rear tires to the Nuerburgring with an inner belt made of the synthetic fiber Kevlar rather than steel and teams hope that will solve the problem. Guidance has also been issued to teams about the correct usage of the tires and pressures required.
"It's the drivers' position at the end of the day and you've got to respect that. They were concerned about what they saw last week - who can blame them at the end of the day?" Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports television yesterday.
"Hopefully it's not going to come anything near to that, but I just think they've laid down a marker to say 'we want this sorted'. We've got a different product here this weekend so I'm sure Pirelli are on top of it."
Horner's comments were echoed across the paddock with first and second practices in Germany passing without incident.
"I have some sympathy with the feelings of the drivers," Marussia sporting director Graeme Lowdon said. "There is no way we, or any of the other teams, would put our drivers in a position that we felt was unsafe."
Any boycott would not be the first in the sport. The most recent was in 2005 when seven teams pulled out of the US Grand Prix in Indianapolis because of tire safety fears.
Pirelli motor sport director Paul Hembery told reporters that the teams had been assured the new tires were safe.
"We explained the changes here and the changes going forward, which we believe are in completely the right direction for them."
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