This is not the first time the subject of the too-soft sidewalls has surfaced. In the past, Hembery's dodge was that it was a property that most hinders the Red Bulls because their cars produce the most downforce (which serves to
enhance tyre life, ...everywhere except in
Bizarro world). He offered that they
could stiffen the sidewalls, but it would fair guarantee Vettel walking away with another title. And we wouldn't want that, now would we?
So, no, it doesn't affect everyone equally just because Pirelli are putting everyone on the same (shit) tyres. And anyone who claims some teams were cleverer and so designed their cars around the new tyres is blowing smoke up your skirt because no one is running pre-season tests in an old car. Which means the cars already are designed, built and homologated before they've had their first glimpse of the current season's tyres.
The FOTA specifically asked for an increase in tyre wear resulting in 2-3 stops per race. Period. Full stop. Pirelli were never asked to create a tyre with this "performance cliff" or the über-narrow and migratory performance window and the tonnes of clag or anything like them.
Steve Matchett showing off a single chunk of 'clag' weighing, he said, about 1/4 pound (~115 grams).
Imagine this bouncing off your visor at 300 kph.
Paul Hembery:
"...[W]e have to make sure we get it back in line with what we've been asked to do, which is two or three (stops)."
Hhhmmmmmm. Nothing about a "performance cliff," or "spicing up the racing" or ending the "boring" processional races there.
Bernie Ecclestone:
"I requested Pirelli to create tyres that will not complete 50 % of the race...."
Nope, not in there either. But if you find it elsewhere, do please let me know, and I'll cheerfully stand corrected. Until then, I say: bollocks!
Pirelli must have thought this a clever way to introduce an extra measure of variability into the racing, which could have been a real feather in their cap. But they failed due diligence, failed to confirm they could control this new property to prevent it adversely affecting the level of competition before they foisted it on F1. Phrases like "spicing up the racing" or "saving the sport from boring, processional races" only were introduced into the F1 lexicon when the motor racing press began backing Pirelli's Baghdad Bob into a corner and forcing him to defend his company's product.
They make for an excellent sound bite, I'll grant you that, but those are vague and hyperbolic phrases that are unlikely ever to find their way into any product specification or contractual agreement. Classic disinformation and misdirection.
This all boils down to a clear case of Pirelli allowing their alligator mouth to write a cheque their budgie buttocks couldn't cash. If they'd stuck to supplying exactly what was asked for and no more, the sport might not be in this pickle.
But they didn't, and here we are.
Thanks, Bob!
