Should F1 change its tyre strategy?

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The first races of 2012 have reopened the debate on whether the current generation of F1 tyres are good for the sport.

Since 2011 F1’s official tyre supplier has been asked to supply tyres that do not last a full race distance, requiring drivers to look after their tyres and change them up to three times per race.

While many feel this has had a positive effect on the quality of racing, some drivers have complained that they don’t like having to conserve their tyres. Others have defended Pirelli’s product.

Does F1 need to change its tyre strategy and give drivers more longer-lasting rubber?

For

Some drivers have complained that the new tyres stop them from being able to race flat out.

Others feel that making the tyres last a little longer, or degrade less quickly, would lessen some of the more extreme swings in performance we’ve seen.

They complain that the tyres have made F1 races artificial.

Against

Thos who defend the current tyres point to the more exciting racing we have seen this season and last year, compared with the four seasons with Bridgestone’s conservative spec tyres.

When it comes to deciding on tyre compounds, Pirelli are aiming at a moving target. With each passing race and test the teams gain more knowledge of the tyres and improve how they use them.

This was clearly the case towards the end of last season when people began to complain the tyres weren’t aggressive enough.

I say

Grand Prix racing has usually required some degree of tyre conservation. Instead of asking whether F1 drivers should need to look after their tyres, we need to ask how much tyre conservation should be expected of them, and whether it is too big a part of racing at the moment.

The demand for more challenging tyres has largely come from the teams. They noted how the problems they experienced with tyres in the 2010 Canadian Grand Prix produced an exciting race and asked for more of the same.

As means of improving the racing go, the new tyres are less offensively artificial than DRS. Everyone has the same rubber, it’s up to them to get the most out of it.

Given the experience of last year, a knee-jerk change to tyre compounds isn’t necessary – teams will suss out how to get the best out of them. We’re already seeing fewer pit stops than we were 12 months ago, when four-stop strategies were the norm in Turkey and Spain.

As I argued last week, before altering its tyre policy F1 should start by fixing elements of the tyre rules that are obviously not working as intended:

You say

Should Pirelli supply more conservative tyres? Cast your vote below and have your say in the comments.

Should Pirelli produce more conservative F1 tyres?

  • No opinion (1%)
  • No - make them much more aggressive (5%)
  • No - make them slightly more aggressive (9%)
  • No - keep them as they are (46%)
  • Yes - make them slightly more conservative (30%)
  • Yes - make them much more conservative (9%)

Total Voters: 750

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DRS poll results

F1 Fanatic’s last poll on DRS revealed much dissatisfaction with the current rules.

DRS continues to divide F1 fans between staunch defenders, vehement detractors, and those who see it as a necessary evil.

Just 21% of readers supported the current DRS rules, where drivers can only use it when they’re within one second of another car (regardless of whether they are racing that car for position or lapping it).

Although most people are happy to see DRS stay in F1, the majority want the rules to be changed. Over a third voiced support for a rule allowing DRS to be used a set number of times per race.

As for DRS availability in 2012, fans were split down the middle: 44% wanted to see DRS used in every race, the rest disagreed. And a significant minority – one-quarter of readers – wanted DRS switched off for the entire season.

Debates and polls

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Image © Pirelli/LAT

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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130 comments on “Should F1 change its tyre strategy?”

  1. I think the tyres are OK, its the rules that need changed- as Keith wrote in his very good article

    1. As the tires are I think it’s time to get rid of this stupid rule that you have to run on both compounds. That rule always been to artificial to me to force them to do a pit stop to allow some shakeup in running order. As the tires are they are guaranteed to do pitstops once or twice at last. So why not allow them total freedom.

      1. The only thing about that is that we would have to be careful about teams diverging to rn on either one compound or the other. You might get a branch of teams going for slower laps and fewer stops on the hard tyres, and another branch going for faster laps and more stops on the softer tyres. You might end up with a 2-class field, with Pirelli having the job of keeping the both sides balanced so that half way though the season we don’t drop half the field because the tyres that they R&Ded to run on aren’t as good as the other set.

        Not that I disagreeing or puttin down your opinion; it’s just a thought I had.

        1. The word “PIRELLI” in the language of racing means “NOTTA SO GOOOD” …

    2. I’d like both changes, I didn’t vote because my option was not listed. I say change the rules as Keith suggested, let the teams decide their strategy from no stops to 4 stops or whatever, make 1 option last more than half race distance and still be fairly competetive and let the other be quicker but wear out quicker, allow the teams to qualify on the softer but start with their choice. Canada was not a good model because the rain allowed exactly what I have stated, the use of wets cancelled the mandatory tyre choices.

      1. Further explanation of why I am not happy with the LATEST tyres.
        We have known for a long time that the reliance on aerodynamic downforce has made overtaking difficult due to the turbulent airflow a following car experiences, the FIA have made many attempts to reduce the reliance on downforce in order to overcome this problem to achieve closer racing and more opportunities for a car to follow another “nose to tail” through a corner as a prelude to passing, the teams have managed to thwart these attempts of the FIA by such devices as the “off throttle exhaust gas blown diffuser” but this year these devices are banned and the FIA has finally achieved a fairly level playing field with many teams having cars that can win a race depending on how their strengths and weaknesses suit the track, but the tyres have emphasised the old problem of not being able to follow closely because the tyres wear out rapidly with only the smallest amount of lateral slippage, in this case the FIA have made 2 steps forward but 3 steps backward and we the fans are not seeing the tight nose to tail racing and passing we could be seeing if the tyres were more durable.

    3. personally i like to seee hamilton, alonso , vettel, kobasyashi, raikkonen driving flat out the whole race and not to pace themselves because they burn their tyres out and fall off “the cliff” of tyre wear iam sick of hearing drivers like button perez and di resta getting praise for pacing themselves on the track and minding their tyres . i think tyres should last longer but keep the hard soft compound rule drivers have enough in kers and drs for good exciting racing drivers that drive flat out the whole race should get what they deserve

  2. I don’t have any problems with the durability of the tyres at all, I just don’t like “the cliff” because it means that attempts at conservation become hugely costly if you just try to do one lap too many. If the wall came and you had ~5 laps of a slower rate of drop off before the tyres were past it, it would still leave the option of some interesting strategic differences but without people dropping several positions and seconds because the tyres have just died on them.

      1. I think the reason that Schumacher was so upset after the last race was because he qualified in a position which much much worse than the potential of his car. In order to get up to where he “should” be, in this year’s field of quite comparable cars, he had to push hard but by doing so he destroyed his tires and could not get to the frontrunners hence his frustration.
        I remember the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2010 when Webber did not pit when the safety car came out on lap 15, while all his major competitors did. In order to get enough of a lead to pit and come out in front he had to pull off about 25 “qualifying laps” in a row, which he sucessfully did. If this happens to someone this year his goose is cooked!

    1. Totally agree and if only they could something with the tyre marble. the marble lessen the excitement of the race when the defending driver just need to stay at the driving line to defend couse it too risky to overtake on the outside because of the marble.

      1. At the moment its like a double whammy, if you push you will push your tyres over the cliff, and if you go offline you will pick up marbles, lose time and grip, and because you have lost grip you are sliding and hurting the tyres more trying to catch up.

        1. agree…tyre marbles are biggest problem…we saw that several times this year when driver went offline, picked up marbles and lost pace…not very encouraging fro drivers to overtake

    2. +1

      The way Kimi lost performance in Malaysia is ridiculous!

    3. “For sure”! This is why I voted for minimal changes to the tyres.

      Also, what Keith said about the rules.

  3. I think that the difference between the tyres is still too narrow. The difference between the prime and option in the race is that the prime lasts a few laps longer and is slightly slower, but doesn’t have a different character compared to the option.

    If the harder tyres were designed to wear more gradually (ie. a steady degradation, rather than “falling off the cliff”), took much longer to switch on, but lasted a long time and could take a lot more punishment without graining. Combined with the softer tyres being incredibly fast, but fragile and prone to “falling off the cliff,” we would see some interesting strategies.

    Also, getting rid of the rule that requires them to use both compounds in the race would open up the possibilities further. That way, each driver’s strategy is immediately obvious to everyone – drivers on an aggressive strategy would use the softs, whereas drivers playing the long game would be on the hards.

    I think that the tyres should be chosen so that the hard tyre should enable someone to complete the race on one stop if they drive with care, and the soft tyre being somewhere between two and three stops. Drivers could do three stints of aggressive driving on softs; two stints on hards; or one very long stint on hards and an attacking stint on softs; or two stints on hards.

    The two-tyre rule prevents the first two strategies from being used, leaving only variations on the latter.

    1. Really like the distinct character approach. Very cool idea.

      Which means it will never happen in F1, but you have my full support.

    2. I agree with this to some extent, I don’t it should last a whole race distance but the durability should be much higher on the prime tyre than it is now.

  4. NO NO NO NO NO NO! If they can make a Bahrain Grand Prix interesting and provide overtaking then why change them.

    This is what so many people have been wanting for ages and now it’s here people don’t want it.

    1. @tommyb89 fair comment! I’ll go along with that, does the sport need further refinement, 4 races, 4 winners and a tiotle hunt as close as you could hope for. The grass is always greener guys!

    2. I liked it last year but it seems that we giving up raw pace in favor of tyre nursing abilities. It’s not what I want, it’s like saying Messi is good because he can save stamina better than others.

      13/14 laps stints are looking too little for my taste, two stops races are fine, three stops is not that good. Drivers depend on their engineers by default because they design the car and its parts, why do we need more dependency via excessive influence of tyre strategy?

    3. dysthanasiac (@)
      4th May 2012, 18:48

      Maybe I’d like the current-spec F1 a lot better if I thought bingo is an entertaining pastime.

    4. I’m in total agreement. I love the changing problem that the tires present. It is a competition, and it’s become an important variable in the calculas of grand prix racing. I love that the tires keep changing, forcing the greatest drivers in the world to adapt to win.

    5. Completely agree. If anything needs to change it’s the DRS rules, as Keith mentioned earlier.
      Cannot understand why people don’t like the racing that’s been provided this year! It’s the most competitive field in years. If people want dull racing with a foregone conclusion go and watch the Chevrolet’s dominate the WTCC this year instead

  5. 1) Do not make mandatory the use of the two sets available during the race.
    2) Give the teams the mix of tires they decide (Pirelli can recommend) to use for the race, between the four options available (Hard, medium, soft and supersoft)
    3) Do not make mandatory to start the race with the set the car used in Q3

    I think F1 Tyre Strategy should change. But I don’t feel my answer is properly represented in the options you’ve stablished.

    So, at the end, I will have to answer “no opinion” (despite I have one) just because I cannot set my “own and personal” opinion about what I think about tyre strategy.

  6. I voted a little more conservative. I like the tyres as they are now, but I don’t think it would harm the racing spectacle too much if they just increased tyre life a little bit.
    I don’t know it if would ever be possible to do, but the best tyres would be ones that last about as long as the current tyres do, but don’t fall off the rim because you push them.
    So that a driver good at saving tyres would get maybe 10% more life out of them then a more agressive driver. While neither of them would have to go considerably slower then whats possible.
    Sadly it would probably be impossible to design a tyre to do that.

  7. dysthanasiac (@)
    4th May 2012, 13:14

    It was Ross Brawn who championed the Canadian Grand Prix as a model for future tire construction. I don’t know if he was speaking on behalf of everyone, but I can certainly understand why the boss of a team that’s struggled throughout every year of its existence to make effective use of the tires would want even sillier ones introduced to the field: If you can’t rise to the level of others, bring them down to yours.

    1. Ross Brawn isnt the genius some people think he is. for instance at Ferrari, it was the complete package, including the designer and the bridgestone tyres. the Brawn GP team came along, which was built by Honda, not Brawn. Brawn failed to develop it over the course of the year, and other teams caught up by the end, Brawn hasnt done anything good with Mercedes, each year they fail to develop the car, they chew tyres, and they have a has-been driver whose salary is eating away the team – they could spent the money building a better car – for Rosberg, who is having his career held back by Brawn and his love for schumacher.
      The tyres are not the result of schumachers failure to drive faster then his teammate, and failure to get a podium (let alone a win) – it is his skill level – which has deteriorated, other better drivers should be in the sport, but he is one of the worst performing drivers of the field the past 2 years, yet gets payed one of the highest salaries! well done brawn and mercedes – in for another year of failure, they should be up there at the top.

      1. dysthanasiac (@)
        4th May 2012, 13:51

        In other words, you agree?

      2. Brawn was technical head for the years prior to Brawn GP, so to claim he wasn’t responsible isn’t correct. Neither is blaming him for not developing the car during the season..

      3. Brawn took charge for one year at Honda, so could fully influence the development of the 2009 car with Honda’s big budget. He did a brilliant job, but he benefited from the rules change and the 2008 Honda being such a dog that he could ditch the 2008 season from the off.
        Sure they didn’t develop the car much during 2009, but don’t forget he was also busy trying to find finance to run the team, bring in sponsors, let half the workforce go and defend the double diffuser. The championship they won was also in no small part down to Jenson’s calm head when he had the best car, and bagging 6 wins while everyone was still getting to grips with the new cars.

        1. Brawn has won championships with three distinct entries, and was a major technical and organisational influence on all of them. Only Adrian Newey has a comparable record, and Brawn is arguably more consistent. Sometimes the facts just stifle any criticism.

      4. dysthanasiac (@)
        4th May 2012, 14:41

        My intent wasn’t necessarily to criticize Ross Brawn at all. I just think its probably a good idea to take his comments with at least a grain or two of salt, because, from his perspective, it makes sense for a team that struggles with tires to want everyone else to struggle, too.

        1. I don’t think Ross Brawn is by any means unique in promoting an opinion with motive! All teams, engineers and even drivers want the best fit for their current set up!

          1. dysthanasiac (@)
            4th May 2012, 18:53

            Indeed. But, since we’re talking Brawn and the comment he made in support of Pirelli-putty tires, I think it’s fair to wonder if his statement in this case was truly on behalf of the teams, or if his motivation was more self-serving.

    2. Canadian Grand Prix is irrelevant to this argument, cars started on inters or wets so no mandatory 2 tyre rule, it was this that made it great.

  8. I hate sitting on the fence, but I really couldn’t decide between leaving them as they are and making them slightly more conservative.

    1. Same here. I understand the concerns that some people have with the Pirelli tyres, however I cannot argue with some of racing we have seen this year, it has been fantastic.

      I do hope however that they scrap the top ten tyre rule which adds nothing to the sport.

  9. i have an advise to all the complainers about the tyres including Michael Shumacher & the other drivers that Martin Brundle talked about:
    just watch Fernando Alonso driving absolutely on the limit with the same tyres in that horrible F2012 well that’s not new for Fernando to adapt his driving style to the tyres (switch from Michelin to Bridgestone in 2007)
    another advise :watch also Kimi Raikkonen (2 years without F1) & he manages to be quick
    Conclusion: if you cannot adapt your driving style to the new rules you are not a top driver

    1. Bad examples, as the Ferrari is nowhere near operating at the limit of the tyres so its no even a consideration for Alonso

      Short memory, look what happened to Raikkonen in the previous race 2nd to 14th (or whatever it was), that just shows it is nothing to do with the driver and everything to do with the tyres….. which is WRONG!

      1. @bbt
        Of cause the Ferrari is running at the limit of the tyres.
        The Ferrari might be off the pace, but it seems quite out of balance, and that will mean that if he drives it on the limit he will most likely wear out his tyres faster.
        Also, if he wasn’t reaching the limit of the tyres Alonso would in every single race do a full race distance – 1 lap on the soft tyre and pit on the last lap to the hard tyre.
        But he isn’t doing that, he is pitting like everyone else, so the car must be using its tyres.
        Thus he will HAVE to take tyre wear into account when he is driving.

        Oh and the reason Kimi fell so long backwards was because of a driver error.
        He got off the racing line, picked up marbles and from there on he was unable to do anything.
        Had he been on the racing line he would have been in decent shape for the rest of the race.

        1. Last the whole race, not at all, impossible.

          Agree with your first point, what I am saying is that is is easier because the car is nowhere near the ultimate mechanical grip of the tyres.

          Re Kimi, I think that is wishful thinking on the fans behalf, he was it trouble two laps before he ran wide, it was a result (of tyre going off) and not the cause of his fall (it just accelerated it.) I remember watching the timings very closely. Everytime someone mentions the ‘running of line… that why’ it makes me laugh a little, why was he forced to run off line?

          1. I don’t think its easier at all.
            A car in balance will have a even tyre usage and reduce overall wear across all four wheels.
            If the car can’t grip properly the tyres will slide more often and therefore wear them down quickly.
            Tyre wear is also down to suspension geometry etc. I don’t think ultimate speed has much effect on tyre usage.

            Kimi wasn’t exactly fast at that point that is true, but is that the tyres fault? Vettel was able to go a lot quicker on the same strategy. If the car wouldn’t make the tyres last its their fault for choosing the wrong strategy.
            The reason he went off line wasn’t because of the lack of grip as much as it was as a result of a lack of understanding and respect of the limit in that crusial moment.
            Had he gone slower he could have gone through the corner just fine.
            A driver can’t blame his car or tyres for making mistakes like that.
            He can blame the car for being slow, but whether you are in an HRT or a McLaren you still have to stay within a certian speed limit going through the corners, if they don’t they will either not make it, or spin out and its in their hands to stay within that limit. No matter where it is.

          2. dysthanasiac (@)
            4th May 2012, 19:05

            @mads

            What’s entertaining about single-file racing that punishes mistakes much more than it rewards ambition? Regardless of why Raikkonen stumbled, he fell from P2 to P12 within a span of two laps, because the ten cars behind him didn’t dare to make any attempts to overtake lest they fall victim to the sea of marbles that eventually swallowed Raikkonen whole. All they could do was bunch up and wait for someone to blink.

            The 2012 season is nothing more than a really, really, really expensive game of Bingo.

          3. @dysthanasiac
            Yeah we saw a lot more overtaking pre 2011… oh wait thats not right is it.
            It not like its the first time we have seen a driver go from hero to zero in a few laps and its not the tyres fault. It was Kimi’s fault.
            A driver can make a costly mistake, pic up a puncture, spin. You name it.
            Its nothing new. Luck has always been a part of racing.

        2. BTW, we voted the same ;-)

    2. Interesting that you should highlight Alonso and Raikkonen – they were two of the drivers who struggled most to adapt to the Bridgestone control tyres introduced in 2007, having used Michelins in previous seasons.

      A great driver can, of course, adapt their driving style to suit different handling characteristics or different circumstances. But it’s like trying to write with your left hand if you normally use your right – no matter how much you practice, how hard you try, it’s never quite as natural or as easy. And in a field which is so tightly packed, that can make a huge difference. Suggesting that Schumacher is throwing his toys out the pram because he can’t adapt to the Pirellis is probably a bit much, too. If there’s another thing great drivers do, apart from adapting, it’s working 24/7 to try to skew the odds in their own favour – Fangio, after all, didn’t win five titles by staying doggedly loyal to a single team.

      I voted to keep the tyres as they are – we’re only four races down, the drivers and teams will learn how to get the most from the new rubber and the racing is currently nowhere near the wrong side of a lottery.

  10. Change the rules and the tyres, simple.
    Don’t move them too far back towards the Bridgestones but at least 50% of the way.
    The lumps of jelly they run around on now are a joke, which is a shame. At the beginning of last year it was the same before they got their act together in the second half of the season, the tyres were so inconsistent in performance between the sets of the same tyre compound on the same car but they soon sorted that out and the second half of 2011 was good. This year is too much of a lottery, you might as well just turn on for the last 5 laps which I suppose is the opposite to 3-4 years ago when you might as well have just watched the first 5 laps only.

    For me 2010 is still the best season in the last decade and nothing I’m seeing this year changes that opinion.

    1. @bbt
      Are you sure that its the tyres that are inconsistent and not just the teams that don’t understand how to use them?

      1. Absolutely, as it was at least 50% of the teams that were complaining the beginning of last season re: inconsistency between sets.
        This year is a slightly different problem, ‘switching the tyres on.’
        Personally I don’t find it is at all interesting at all when someone is breezed past because the tyres are not working, if your killed your tyres fair enough but we have people lapping 5 – 8 seconds per lap slower just to try and save their tyres (and they still if they are unlucky get into trouble).
        To prove the point even the bottom 3 – 4 teams post fastest laps when they pit and have fresh tyres that is just not right.

        1. @bbt do you have any source on that? because I can’t find anything.

          1. The drivers press realises first 6 races particular, Button, Hamilton, Webber, Rosberg. It more what they were saying on the red button. Car was working great in stint one/two and they the balance disappeared, of course to be critical of my own comment it could have been set-up and the fuel coming down.

            I agree with you regrading ‘teams understanding the tyres’ I don’t think any of the teams understand them, hence four teams winning the 1st four races.

          2. @bbt
            Thats what i’m trying to get at.
            If its the teams that don’t understand the tyres they will experience unexpected issues in different conditions and under different fuel levels, but unless there is prof that one set of brand new Pirelli rubber isn’t identical to another set of the same compound, it is the teams fault for not understanding the tyres.

    2. what a grate idea it’s so easy for you to change the rules & the tyres but why just now ????????
      i mean at the start of the season the Pirelli’s were fantastic and now because some “crying drivers” who failed to deliver in a strong car (they were complaining in the past about not having fast cars) are complaining this debate is open the tyres are the same for everyone & even if the tyres will change & become less conservative the top drivers will remain fast & these “crying drivers” will fail to produce grate performances

  11. xeroxpt (@)
    4th May 2012, 13:45

    If you want tyre conservation maybe you could restrict the nº of tyre changes for race and possibly get rid of the cliff issue of the tyre.

    1. I don’t think anyone want tyre conservation per se. The want closure racing (at any cost).
      I can understand the need for closer racing, but the point is ‘racing’ not coasting around.
      Agree that the rules also need changing and probably before the tyres…. to see the difference that makes.

  12. The devil’s advocate in me is saying two things:
    a) do away with all tyre rules except a “minimum one stop per race.”
    b) bring back competing manufacturers.

    We’d then see some real development of what tyres can really do, with no artificial strategy, and much less whingeing from teams, drivers and fans. Open things up, let the teams and the automotive industry show what can be done and, as a spin-off, let them use the development for road cars (how many F1Fanatics drive on Pirelli rubber?) We’ve got multiple wheel, hub and brake manufacturers — let alone four engine makers — so let’s get away from restrictive single sourcing and bring out the talent in the drivers and teams.

    1. I have Pirelli rubber on my JAG XJR and that handles just fine

  13. Change the rules and make tyres slightly more conservative. But overall FIA should do whatever is necessary so that drivers are actually racing and not trying to drive slow 90% of the race.

    I agree with @bbt that “The lumps of jelly they run around on now are a joke”.

  14. Another brill article once again
    Teams, Drivers and Fans wanted better racing
    and better racing there is so stop complaining
    Pirelli tyres should stay the same, you cannot change them just because a few of the drivers say so.

    1. Not better racing as far as I am concerned so I will keep moaning ;-)

    2. Not better racing for me either. I understand if you feel differently though.

  15. Isn’t it a bit early for this debate. The regulation changes have got rid of a lot of rear down force and therefore to maintain car balance some front downforce has also been lost. This I feel probably makes the tyres react differently.

    We haven’t really yet got back to Europe yet, so we don’t know what effect any changes made by the teams will have on racing. Surely the comments about the tyres from the end of last season point in that direction.

    Lets not be too hasty, if the tyres were changed now so they last longer, and the teams make changes to lessen tyre wear we could end up with boring races at the end of the season.

  16. Yes the tyres, as they are now, are not as artificial as DRS but they are still artificial.

    I believe tyres should be part of car development and the tyre company should be trying to create ever faster, and at the same time more durable tyres. In a perfect world teams would be able to chose their own tyre supplier.

    But as is very clear the above scenario is unsustainable in the current economic climate, and as things stand now, the small teams would be very much disadvantaged. Hopefully a time will come when this will be possible and when we can stop focusing so much on cost cutting and artificial fixes. But until then, i believe F1 is in a pretty good place, all things considered.

    1. The problem with different tyre suppliers is that a tyre is the biggest factor in terms of car performance, so if one team is bound by a one year contract with a tyre supplier that supplies bad tyres reletive to the others, then that team will be bad for that year, no matter what they do to the car.

      1. That is very true….
        Maybe it would be nice if there were multiple suppliers but you could chose any tyre from any tyre supplier during the weekend.

        1. @bbt
          True!
          But I guess if that was the case everyone would jump to whatever tyre supplier is best, and result in what is effectively a sole tyre supplier.
          Of cause it would give the tyre manufactures something to work hard for and therefore give better performing tyres, but I think the risk for the tyre supplier would be too big for them to want to participate.

  17. It’s a hard one. They will get on top of them I bet. But now you don’t know wich is the best car because tyres have a too little operating window. A bigger window might be oppertune imo.
    The upside is that it is unpredictable atm. But imo the best f1 driver must be bloody talented and outright fast. Not just getting the sweet spot with the tyres and being conservative

    1. @SoLiDG For an f1 driver to be outright fast they NEED to get the sweet spot with the tyres…. If they don’t hit the sweet spot then either they’re not using the tires to their max potential, or they’re overdooing it and cooking the tires.

      1. It’s more the team finding the sweet spot with the tyres I’m affraid. Not just down to the drivers atm. As you whole teams being in the same spot every race. Bar Felipé who can’t be matched to Alonso atm.

  18. The tires themselves are fine.
    The rules need tweaking to get a proper Q3 shootout though.
    Otherwise, we’re in pretty good shape I reckon.

  19. There is an argument that making them slightly more aggressive would fix the problem, as teams would just have to accept that they would need to three and four stop at races, rather than trying to sneak one and two stops. Without seeing a full simulation, hard to call, but I think it’d be a better fix than slightly more conservative, that would simply push all the two stoppers into nursing tyres in hope of a one stop – which would be the worst of all worlds. So I’d guess either slightly more aggressive or much more conservative.

    1. If your are Mclaren two stops it much better than three, thats 6 – 9 seconds save right aways ;-)

      PS that is a joke, but Mclaren, I’m sure would like less stops.

      1. If your are Mclaren two stops is much better than three, thats 6 – 9 seconds saved right away ;-)

        PS that is a joke, but Mclaren, I’m sure would like less stops.

  20. I agree with Keith that the it’s not the tyres that are the problem, it’s the rules. I do agree with some though that “the cliff” problem could be fixed with a less sudden drop-off and the marbles could be reduced.

    1. I think the idea of qualifying tyres and allowing teams to choose their own compounds would add to the excitement of the racing. Allowing teams to choose two harder compound tyres to gain in the race at the expense of qualifying pace would make the race very interesting indeed, and qualifying tyres would make up the deficit in increasing the excitement of qualifying, since there’d be no reason not to run.

  21. I think Pirelli took it a step too far. Especially now that the cars seem to have a very close ultimate pace, I’d rather see them more flat our for more of the time. While tyre conservation can be interesting, with degradation being so aggressive and artificial it doesn’t really seem to be much of a driver skill.

    Pirelli have shown a very pragmatic approach since they entered and although I personally think they can make it better, it’s absolutely not like it’s been bad. They are open to criticism and actually seem to care about their involvement in racing. It’s pretty hard to balance the perceived quality of your product brand with an entertainment factor, so credit where credit is due.

    Speaking of pragmatism, isn’t it time to ditch the backwards two compound rule, before they start making more fundamental changes to the actual tyres?
    If teams end up using just one type of tyre (which would mean a 2 stop race), it is simply up to Pirelli to develop a compound which is actually an interesting alternative, rather than a burden for the teams. We’ve already seen drivers go for different strategies, so they’re not even that far off anyway.

    Then ditch the qualifying tyre rule, and we can start complaining about a different aspect of F1 again. :)

  22. When the best in the business says that the tires are presenting situations where it impacts the drivers abilities to perform then the tire manufacturer should take notice and listen. The product is so bad that drivers race on compounds that have ridiculously short life, prevent the driver from approaching the limit of the car and as they fall apart their remanents then create a covering on the race track that in itself becomes a danger zone.
    Miss the racing line and you can lose a dozen places in a moment. Then add to the mix a continual changing of the compound so that when at the next event you simply don’t know what to expect. Another issue is having the rule makers say that you only get so many sets per race weekend. Again these Bloody Awful tires are so feeble that some are now skipping qualifying.

    Add it all up and it simply isn’t a good situation. Real fans want to see this changed.

    1. I think your and my idea of ‘real fans’ places us in a minority.MSC.is probably the only driver prepared to admit he can’t race as he would wish with the current tyres. The others would be signing their own redundancy notice great shame but I find current F1 the most unexciting racing ,a bit like wrestling on the telly in the 70’s.

  23. After all the great racing this season, it’s hard to say anything but keep ’em as they are.

  24. I’m no tyre expert but from my understanding. If they have more conservative tires, the tires would not be as soft as they are now meaning the grip levels would be less as well they would probably be slower overall. Can anyone with more knowledge on this confirm?
    I remember a comment by martin brundle saying that if the tyres were made more durable such as the bridgestones, the drivers would not be any faster than they are now. I cannot for the life of me remember which GP he said that in but it was in 2011 for sure.
    The main issue to me seems to be that the drivers need to be conservative due to the limited amount of tyres they are allocated a weekend. If they’re also trying to cut costs, a slightly more durable tyre would probably be better. possibly tires that last half a race distance?
    If I watch another race where someone leads the race and only changes tyre on the last lap for the silly mandatory pit stop rule for a dry race I will loose my mind.

  25. I LOVE these tyres. I LOVE DRS. Now I want random hosing down of corners mid-race, an Oil Slick Drop button in every car and maybe 1 of every say 10 wheel nuts should be faulty. Wacky races. Wacky F1 – its GREAT!!!

  26. I have another suggestion.. let’s put a Super Fast Super Consistent tyre available for 10 laps in every race. Everyone could use it anytime in the race as he wants … so a lot of overtaking for this driver during this period and more startegy for the teams !! what do you say??

  27. These days F1 is like watching Wrestling and pretend it is real fighting.
    Good show but not true racing.

    1. coudn’t agree more.

      im not enjoying the current f1 as much as i did when we had proper racing in the past. im getting so pi**ed off at what f1 has become that im on the verge of not even watching anymore :(

  28. jimscreechy (@)
    4th May 2012, 18:37

    I didn’t vot because I don’t understand the use of the word ‘conservative’ in this context. It is totally confusing. Surely the use of ambigous words wien conducting a poll will provide eroneous results. What exactly do you mean by “conservative tyres” tyres that conserve there integrity on track? tyres that are conservative with regards to the degradation -the approach Pirelli have taken at the request of the FIA? or something else? Have the recent mid term elections subliminally influenced you in the use of the word ‘conservative?

  29. Only a slight bit so that pushing isn’t punished as hard. Past that, it’s the rules that need to be changed, not the tyres. Pirelli are the closest they’ve ever been to perfecting the tyres.

  30. they can make a rule that every driver has to complete minimum of 2 pit stops per race(so no one stop conservatists)…tyres could stay as they are with less marbles…this way also we will get our portion of those dramatic moments when one driver is comming from pits and other comming on straight no one knowing who will be first in first corner, undercuts etc…

  31. FlyingLobster27
    4th May 2012, 19:59

    Typo Keith, in the last sentence: one quarter is a significant minority. That or 1/4 isn’t the number.

  32. I hate these stupid crappy gimmickey artificial tyres.

    I’ve been following F1 since the 60s & have never been as down on F1 as I currently am. I hate the tyres & I loathe DRS, This is not the F1 I fell in love with all those years ago & Its not the F1 thats kept me hooked since. If things don’t change soon I may simply give up on F1 as Im not as in love with it as I have been for all these years.

    Also so far this poll is the complete opposite to every other poll i’ve seen asking the same sort of question. The poll on james allen’s site showed the majority were dissatisfied with the current tyres & similar polls/comments on several other websites & fan forums showed the same result.
    Pirelli even felt the need to respond to the negative poll/comments on james allens site.

    So we either have more casual fans here or more actual racing fans on all the others.

  33. Let me know when DRS is banned & when we get back to real tyres, I will not watch another F1 race untill then. Started watching in 1990 & stopped watching just over half way through bahrain.

    this is all far too artificial now so im simply no longer intrested.

    1. Sorry to be picky, but you cannot ‘ban’ DRS. Banning it implies that it’s a form of cheating. It’s not.

  34. I think the tyres as they have been so far are too artificial, I get why a lot of people like the way they are but Im just not really enjoying the impact there having.

    Watching a car on newer tyres catch another car at a few seconds a lap & then fairly easily drive by isn’t exciting to me, Its just as bad as watching one car easily drive by another via DRS or KERS.
    Same on the other side, Watching a situation like Kimi @ Shanghai where a driver falls backwards due to the tyres knowing that he can do nothing to hold his position is equally as unexciting.

    I’d much rather they open up tyre regulations & bring all dry compounds to every race, Drop the mandatory stop to run both compounds & let teams/driver decide how to run there races. Have a hard compound that can go the full race non-stop & have the medium/soft’s degrading at sensible levels requiring a top or more.

  35. It would be nice to have all type of tyres to pick from.
    But that would bring extra costs wich aren’t good in these times I’m afraid.

    A would love to see teams get an extra set for Q3 or even a qualifying tyre? Why not!

  36. I agree 100% with Keith’s opinion. The idea that the current tyres are not favoring the aggressive pilots it makes no sense at all. Aggressive driving affects not only the tyres, it has an effect on every component of the car. Sophisticated machines as the current F1 cars require sophisticated driving. Lets not transform the current cars into tanks!

  37. The races this year have been great! Lewis is my favorite driver, and he sucks at tire conservation. Well, he is just going to have to learn! I won’t give up a fabulous season, even for him! F1 needs to work on making its rule enforcement more consistent, and leave the tires alone!

  38. It’s true that if a fast driver could drive to his maximum potential always throughout a race he’d beat inferior drivers, and now, having to look after tyres their advantage is reduced, but everyone is in the same situation and there are drivers who are better than others at administrating their tyres.

  39. like everything, there must be a balance and this time the very high degradations of tyres is too much. If it is real that the drivers do not need to be at some physical limit, then it is a big problem about this sport. We already see that new young drivers look like they can do in the first kilometer the same as the extremely experienced drivers, thank’s to the simulator. But there is an other thing that hurt me, it is that the cars have the same lap times as ten years before, and 10 years before whe had the uggly rule in qualy about the fuel that must ensure the first stint. They cut the power engine which is now ridiculous (more than 1000 HP in 1980’s in qualy, 30 years before now) and to try to continue to make F1 efficient, they use tyres that can last 1 lap, not 2, flat out. With conservative tyres, lap times will be 2 or 3 second less (and another sec without DRS). Then for me, it is not because they wanted more show that they ask Pirelli to build these tyres, it was a concern that the cars would have been too slow, and Bridge would have said that Pirelli are zero. The tyre war was uggly (expensive and not fair for those who do not have the rights tyres at the right moment), but in terms of lap time and durability, it was the top.

    1. you can have f1 as a sprint, but that is not very spectacle, fast cars running away etc……
      or you can have have conditions where you keep cars in the pack and see actual positions changing and tense moments…it may seem artificial for some but (tyre,…) rules are same for every team….just get rid of current qualifying tyre rules

  40. The way I see it? 24 drivers on the grid. You can’t please them all.

    1. Oh and I voted to keep them the same as they are now.

  41. So hard to know what is the right answer here…I am for mechanical grip taking more emphasis than aero grip, and soft degrady tires can provide mechanical grip…that is…until they fall off the cliff. For now I think Pirelli has simply done what they have been asked, and I think the season may be too young to decide on whether changes should be made to either the tires, or the rules surrounding their use.

    I think that it is possible that given half a season with these tires the teams will have learned much and adapted, and will indeed be able to maximize the cars’ performance and not be limited by the tires, if they have the right setup on a given day, which as I say I think they will start to do more and more as the races go on.

    So I agree completely that tire conservation has always been part of the game, and I also agree with MS that it shouldn’t limit a driver so much, but that comes from a driver who probably of all drivers in the history of F1 had to worry about tires the least when his were designed for him in his car.

    I say give them a little more time to find more setups that will work. NR showed that it is possible to hook the car up all day long with the right setup. It’s up to the teams to adapt, for now. If that proves to be impossible, which I would find hard to imagine as the tires aren’t that much different from last year, then perhaps they should change things…but only a little.

  42. SonJaM (@nosajm9bys)
    8th May 2012, 2:54

    Dude, u talk of the knee jerk reaction on tyres, you statement on the canadian race, “They noted how the problems they experienced with tyres in the 2010 Canadian Grand Prix produced an exciting race and asked for more of the same.”, says exactly that. Their reaction was that all races will be like that so bring in crap tyres. Everyone now on the same rubbber, more or less with the same amount of fuel, so what is different, nothing. So why race, I don’t know.

  43. I still recon there was better racing when there was tyre competition between Bridgestone and Michelin. I think maybe Pirelli needs some of this, maybe from Bridgestone, Goodyear or Others that provide tyres for other forms of motor-racing, then maybe Pirelli might get their act together! F1 is currently having drivers not running at their full potential as the tyres are governing the speed at which they are racing, the tyres are “hitting the wall” “falling off the edge” what ever! It makes for boring races and from a drivers point of view pretty dangerous I should think. The tyre perfomance is far too dramatic, and for a 7 times F1 champion to say it’s like driving on raw eggs, maybe he doesn’t know what he’s talking about Mr Whitmash!!, I mean have you driven a F1 in anger (in a race) recently to know this is untrue and that Schumacher is wrong to critise Pirelli or maybe MS is more outspoken than other drivers!

  44. With the current tyres pit stop strategies still decide the outcome of the race. Nothing has changed effectively since 2009, when mid-race refuelling was still allowed.

  45. If HAM can run a 2-stopper in Barcelona, then anyone can learn to handle these tyres. I’d rather have that than a tyre war, further tightening of the aero regulations or some other device intended to even the field.

    With this current tyre format, all teams have a chance of success, which can only please their sponsors and maybe attract new sponsors. That alone means that these tyres aren’t going away soon.

  46. Here’s my feelings posted elsewhere:

    ”http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/…The-Spanish-GP

    So Sky have jumped on the bangwagon of ‘too much of a good thing’ and how the sport ‘needs back to back winners’.

    Why?

    Just because ‘that’s what we’re used to, so that’s the way it should be!’.

    No.

    The tyres are widening the opportunity for more teams. To that I say fantastic, more teams in with a shout of winning if they’re SMART, get their strategy RIGHT, and their driver drives a fantastic race.

    Wins are NOT random – they are earnt through hard work of the team and the driver, which, is what competition is all about, surely?! Just because the F1 teams got caught off-guard (I mean severely off-guard) for the first time in its duration, it doesn’t mean it’s all suddenly ‘wrong’.

    It’s just as ‘wrong’ as when refuelling was bought in, it’s just as ‘wrong’ as the safety car, as ‘wrong’ as the first wing bolted to a car.

    ALL of these teams and drivers have the same tyre. That’s more fair than 10 years ago when Jordan ‘couldn’t even look’ at Ferrari’s Bridgestones, and they were both on Bridgestones!

    So please, spare me this neverending moan of F1 not being what people want it to be, because frankly some will never be happy.

    What’s wrong with F1 producing GOOD RACES at ANY track?! That’s never happened! We should be proud and happy! All of our bellyaching as finally come to a halt, and yet people will find something else to bellyache about.

    Shame on Sky for fuelling that, really. And essentially, it’s a ‘poor business move’ if you think about it.’

    and

    ”Without breakdowns (let’s face it – we don’t really have them anymore), things became incredibly predictable. Technology basically allowed teams to simulate the race to perfection, so the race (for them, at least) was borderline over and done with before they’d turned a wheel in anger.

    Technology also allowed teams to monitor every aspect of the car as it’s “live” and in use.

    These are all aspects F1 could not foresee in the 1950’s. We must adapt and intervene over the course of time, which, we have done, in the shape of regulation changes.

    Drivers would be taking off in to the air and passing out through the G forces if we hadn’t.

    It’s now time for technology to inject some of the competition back in to F1, because money = technology = success, at least until before this season IMO.

    All Pirelli have done is used technology to their ADVANTAGE and created something new for the teams to get their teeth in to and on top of.

    What on earth is wrong with that? It’s known as a game changer. Sometimes they’re a necessary ‘evil’.’

  47. Also, look at the championship..

    The cream rises to the top. Those who can cope with this ‘new’ F1 are still the best drivers. Simple as that. Nothing’s changed there.

  48. Well, with the current tyres Formula 1 nothing but a lottery. The tyres have a sweet spot that is very difficult to find and which is moving constantly.

  49. DK (@seijakessen)
    14th May 2012, 20:34

    Formula One is supposed to be the pinnacle of motorsport.

    All the tires have done is turn it into a gigantic crapshoot.

    F1 inches ever closer to a spec race and people sit by thinking how great all of this crap is.

    I remember when we used to see great engineering designs with the cars; Williams FW14. Now the rules are so restrictive with engines, and totally aero driven, that I feel we never will see designs that truly push the technological boundaries.

    The tires need to last much longer than they do…teams should have a small choice of compounds, but they should be able to push the cars on the limit and not have to worry about performance dropping off a cliff in a few laps. Teams should be able to get by with 1 or 2 pit stops for the entire race.

  50. f1azzer (@)
    15th May 2012, 6:47

    Seriously, is there any F1 fan out there that doesn’t think this is (so far) the best Grand Prix season for, who knows how long. Some of it is down to the teams being closer matched in technology and aerodynamics, but much of it is because of the tyres, please keep things as they are and let’s have a couple more seasons of this kind of racing.

  51. Having seen the Spanish GP, Pirelli hit that spot on – a Prime that allows for a range of race strategies, being stretched to half the race with careful management (Hamilton), or more aggressive use (most), and an option that is perfect for Quali or a short & sweet fast stint if/when the race strategy calls for it.

    I do agree that they should scrap one of the rules; either having to start on the Quali tyre, or having to use both compounds in the race. Not sure you need to do both. And I do wish they would bring in something to stop the farce of cars not running in Q3 though.

  52. Joao Pitol (@)
    15th May 2012, 15:26

    We are seeing the best F1 racing in years. Progressively is has became better since the Schumacher days relative to competitiveness and unpredictability. Seemingly the tires aren’t causing the results to be a crap shoot; keen strategy needs to be executed properly to win.

    I hope viewership and exposure of F1 continues to rise in the US by virtue of the sport being exciting to follow.

  53. Archimedas (@)
    15th May 2012, 16:46

    About DRS again, what if it was enabled when follower is 1-2s away? it would let him get closer, but it will never be enough to overtake, follower will only end up closer to opponent as a result. Therefore he would have to create an overtake himself, not by DRS. At least I would like it that way

  54. themagicofspeed (@)
    16th May 2012, 10:50

    IMO, The option tyre needs to be slightly more conservative, while the primes need looking at to make them more competitive. Nothing major, just slight. The amount of wear is holding back flat out racing which is defeating the purpose of racing. If we wanted to see drivers sensibly following each other around for fear that pushing too hard will damage their tyres, we would stand at the side of a motorway.

  55. I what Senna would have thought.

  56. i wonder what Senna would have thought.

  57. Shaun Sandison
    23rd May 2012, 4:45

    Has anyone considered a points system for qualifying? If the points contribute to the championship that might encourage a strategy re think by some of the teams.

  58. Montreal was a good showing on why the tyres are great. Teams can opt for one or two stops and even change strategy during the race. Depending on your car and driving, it can work well or not. Saubers are ace on tyres, they appear to have broken the code. Kimi also said there is no secret and calling tyres bad is “********”. Teams just need to do their homework.

    This season gives us fantastic races and great winners.

  59. My only problem with the new tyres is the way that they are affecting qualifying on some occasions with teams opting not to run in Q3 or just set sector times, this is bad for F1 in my opinion as qualifying is part of the show. If teams choose not to run in Q3 they should be made to start the race on the tyres that they set the fastest time on in Q2.
    Thoughts anybody??

  60. I’m of the opinion that the tyre in their current form don’t allow a driver to push their car 10/10ths…. I remember watching the cream of the crop rising to the top by putting in qualifying lap after qualifying lap during the race… Senna was amazing at this, Schumi was also good at this, Hakkinen was great too. Now you listen to the drivers, they’re saying they’re unable to drive at 10/10ths…

  61. Much is made of the fact that tyres are too fragile, but actually they have been eeked out to 1 stops in both Monaco (weather) and Canada (possibly safety car considerations).

    So the tyres are not intrinsically poor. It is more the fact that now refuelling is banned and the tyres less than rock (read “Bridgestone”) hard, there is an element of tyre management coming into the sport. In the old days one would have 3-stopped for fuel and nobody would be any the wiser about tyre life.

    The construction of the Pirelli that results in “the cliff” is what it is – it is only teams trying to push it too far that get caught out. It is no different to running out of fuel or missing an apex. There is a risk that has to be managed. Teams turn engines down too and go into “cruise mode” but nobody seems to have a problem with this and it is not used as an excuse by drivers and teams.

    The whole point of F1 is to get your car to the finish line of a Grand Prix before anybody else. This has not changed and so I struggle to see what the problem is. Drivers just have to learn that “fast” is how quickly the car can go, not them.

  62. I say tyres play too big role. Q3 is more about saving tyres for race, and race is not about speed, but cruising. I dont like that. Thats racing not tyre nursing. either tyres or drs must go in 2013

  63. Dimitris 1395 (@)
    25th June 2012, 10:01

    Arguably the main factor that we have 7 different race winners is the performance of the tyres. Teams are having a hard time with tyres, they can’t understand how the tyres are going to operate in every circuit. So, the teams are quite leveled up and the first team that will find out how to cooperate with the Pirellis has the major advantage for the championship title…

  64. Tyres or tires, the winner of a F1 race should not be the guy who did NOT race but saved his tires…. Valencia being an exception and glad to see that the top drivers were on the podium because they raced…. Being forced to use both compounds is similar to restricter plates in the circle races. (what used to be stock car races when they were really worth watching) R & R

  65. the tyres have made f1 look mickey mouse and turning it into a proper circus and an indy car show at that , still this is what ecclestone wants I suppose, loosing interest rapidly after following the sport since 1972,
    glad we did le mans this year as opposed to a gp, right decision, might just stay away next year too

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