F1 management issue support to Pirelli after Spa blowouts

Pirelli have insisted that the 'combined effect of debris on the track and prolonged tyre usage' are to blame for the spectacular tyre failures suffered by Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg at the Belgian GP.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Italian supplier essentially re-iterated what they said at Spa two weeks ago. Since then, however, they have performed thorough examinations on tyres used in the race and also tested them on a rig.

According to the governing body, the FIA, tests found that 'the remaining tread thickness on Sebastian Vettel's rear tyres was approximately 30% at the time of the failure making the tyre more susceptible to damage from even small pieces of debris.'

In an unusual move, FOM, the sport's owners, also issued a statement expressing both their support and gratitude towards Pirelli who they described as a 'first class partner of Formula One'.

Vettel was running third when his Ferrari suffered a blowout on the penultimate lap of the race and described the failures as "unacceptable" immediately afterwards.

However, Pirelli expressed surprise that Ferrari had placed their driver on a one-stop strategy - including an attempted stint of 29 laps of the gruelling track - and continue to insist the structural integrity of their tyres is of the required standard. According to the firm, their tyres suffered a total of 63 cuts at Spa.

'Technical analysis confirms the absence of any structural problem with the tyres used at the Belgian Grand Prix,' Pirelli stated. 'Tests have shown that the failures at Spa were down to the exceptional combined effects of debris on the track and prolonged tyre usage on a circuit that is particularly demanding.

'At the Belgian Grand Prix there were 63 cuts in the tyres, compared to an average of 1.2 cuts per circuit in the previous 15 events (including races and tests).'

It added: 'In order to guarantee greater safety, Pirelli proposes with the FIA to undertake a study to optimise the way in which circuits are cleaned.'

The FIA also released a statement, in which it said it is 'satisfied with the thoroughness of the investigation and Pirelli's conclusions as to the reasons for the tyre failures in Belgium'.

Both Vettel and Rosberg were outspoken in their criticism after the race, but were more measured when the subject was raised on Thursday.

"I had a bit more insight because I was one of the two cars that had a failure during the weekend in Belgium, a bit more insight in what was going on after the race in terms of the analysis and so on," Vettel said.

"It has also been very professional, the way it was handled, it was taken very serious. And obviously our target is to improve the situation. I think it's natural that you always try and improve your product.

"The cars are quick and they're safe. They're surely safer than they were 30 years ago but there is still room for making them safer.

"I think that's more important than any press release - the feeling that I got when I spoke to the engineers and spokesman of Pirelli."

Rosberg, who suffered a blowout during Friday practice, added: "It's being handled with extreme precision and a lot of energy is going into it, which I'm happy to see.

"I'm hopeful we'll be here and driving safely."

It's being handled with extreme precision and a lot of energy is going into it, which I'm happy to see.

After receiving criticism from fans when one-stops were becoming the norm, Pirelli have been more aggressive with their tyre choices since the summer break.

Medium and soft compound tyres - a step-change softer than the compounds used at the Italian GP over the last three years - will again be used at Monza, which boasts the fastest speeds of the season.

The tyres won't be put under the same compression loads due to the circuit being flat in comparison to the undulating Eau Rouge section at Spa. Even so, changes will be made to the pressure and camber limits this weekend.

FOM's statement on Pirelli in full
'Pirelli has been a first class partner of Formula One during the five seasons in which it has been the Official Supplier of Tyres to the FIA Formula One World Championship and we continue to have full confidence in the safety, quality and suitability of its tyres.

'Within the constraints of safety considerations, which are always paramount, Formula One encourages Pirelli to provide tyre compounds with performance limitations because tyre degradation contributes to the challenge and entertainment of a Formula One race. When doing so, Pirelli provides strong guidance to competitors about any performance limitations of the tyres supplied. Competitors should heed Pirelli's expert advice when setting their race strategy and tactics, and if they do not, it is at their own risk.

'We are entirely satisfied that Pirelli was not at fault for any tyre-related incidents during the 2015 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix.

'Pirelli has offered to provide to each car a single set of tyres to last for an entire Event. While we know that they would be very capable of it, a race with no pit stops would be less exciting.

'Thank you, Pirelli, for helping us to deliver excitement to Formula One fans!'