2015 Belgium Grand Prix

[Nitrodaze]

If it is deemed Ferrari ignored advice from Pirelli on the suggested number of laps, then it could be Ferrari in hot water. No other teams were attempting a one stop strategy and nobody else had tyre de-laminations from pushing the tyres to 28 laps. Even the commentators were questioning if Ferrari were tempting disaster.

The BBC has quoted Pirelli previously stated that 40 laps was the recommended maximum tyre life some time ago. But 40 laps does not translate to the same mileage distance at all tracks. A single full Silverstone lap is 5.9km and Spa is 7km, hence 40 lap of Silverstone is 236km which is roughly 33.7 laps of Spa. Vettels tyres failed on lap 28, a 196km distance which is clearly 5.7 laps short of the Pirelli published 236km max distance for the tyre before failure. So there are some grounds for Ferrari and Vettel to complain.

After the Bianchi passing, it is safe to say that tyres blowing up at 200 mph is not acceptable. Either the rules are wrong or Pirelli did not meet the specifications for the tyres satisfactorily. Whatever the case, F1 teams must have clear reliable data on which to base their strategy. Not a shifting goal post on a race by race basis. If Pirelli is saying the max distance for the tyre is say 236km for all tracks, then it must be reliably so and the teams must be able to rely on this information.

Vettel has a point and it is a safety one.