Pirelli inquiry places blame for F1 tire problems on debris - FOXSports.com
MONZA, Italy (AP) Formula One tire supplier Pirelli blamed debris on the track and prolonged usage for a ''highly unusual number of cuts'' to the rubber at the Belgian Grand Prix, which was marred by frightening tire deterioration on the cars of... In Spa, the right rear tire of Vettel's Ferrari was torn to shreds at 320 kph (200 mph) in the penultimate lap. ''Tests have shown that the failures at Spa were down to the exceptional combined effect of debris on the track and prolonged tire usage on a circuit that is particularly demanding,'' Pirelli said in a statement. There were 63 cuts in the tires at the Belgian GP, compared to an average of 1. 2 cuts per circuit in the previous 15 events - also including tests. Ferrari used a single pit-stop strategy which added stress on the tires. A statement from FIA based on Pirelli's conclusions said the remaining tread thickness on Vettel's rear tires ''was approximately 30 percent at the time of the failure, making the tire more susceptible to damage from even small pieces of debris. Source: www.foxsports.com
