Massa slams Pirelli’s tire choice for Brazil (Update)
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| Massa slammed Pirelli over tire choice for Brazil |
Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery admits they could alter their tire selection for the Brazilian GP, but says it has nothing to do with Felipe Massa's complaints.
The Italian manufacturer has revealed that they will use the hard and medium compounds at this year's Brazilian race on November 9 as the "energy demands are high" at Interlagos.
However, Massa has expressed his outrage at the selection describing it as "dangerous, very dangerous".
"First of all, Interlagos was never a track to use medium and hard. It's a track that we can use even super-soft and soft, but in a conservative way soft and medium," the Brazilian said.
"I have no idea why they choose medium and hard, it's completely unacceptable. It's a track where you can have rain, it's a track that can be cold and a track that maybe you can have a condition you need to risk putting on the dry tires and it is so hard that it will be dangerous. I don't understand."
Hembery says he is surprised by Massa's reaction to their tire choices.
"That's a little bit strange as we've raced before there with the hard tire," he told Press Association Sport. "The data would suggest, as it has done for the last three years, it's one of the more aggressive circuits we have on the calendar, with a risk of blistering problems.
"We know the soft tire, with the extreme loads, has potential to blister, so the decision was taken to go with the harder tire."
The manufacturer, though, could yet opt for different tires, but the agreement needs to be unanimous.
"There is one factor, which we need to do a double verification on, which is the surface as they've now completed a full resurfacing," he said.
"We'll do another check with that. We have a meeting with the Tire Working Group, where we have all the tire experts from all the teams, and we'll discuss it with them.
"If there is unanimous agreement then we can reconsider, so we are open to change.
"But it needs to done on fact, data and details than from a random comment."
10/13/14 (GMM) Felipe Massa has criticized Pirelli's tire choice selection for the forthcoming Brazilian grand prix, saying it may even be "dangerous".
Last year's dominant topic, when drivers regularly complained about the quality and high degradation of Pirelli's tires, now seems a distant memory.
In Russia, Nico Rosberg was able to complete the entire race distance on a single set of tires after his first-corner brake lockup and subsequent pitstop.
Many have concluded that F1's official supplier is being far too conservative with its compound choices in 2014, often leading to processional and predictable races, such as the one at Sochi on Sunday.
"For sure the tires were too hard (in Russia)," Fernando Alonso was quoted by Spain's El Mundo Deportivo after the race.
"But they (Pirelli) didn't know how the asphalt would be, the temperatures, the track.
"I think it is more surprising what (tires) they have chosen for the last few races," added Alonso, "especially Brazil."
Indeed, at Interlagos, drivers will be forced to use the hardest tires in Pirelli's 2014 range — the 'medium' and 'hard'.
Brazilian Massa told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport: "Interlagos has never been a track where you need hard and medium. It would even be possible to drive there with super-soft and soft, or if you're conservative, maybe soft and medium."
He thinks Pirelli is playing its selection so safe for Brazil that it could actually pose a danger.
"It is completely unacceptable," said Massa. "It could be cold, it could be damp, I think it could even be dangerous on the hard tires. I don't understand the decision.
"This year they have laid new asphalt at Interlagos, and whenever we drive on new asphalt it is much easier for the tires. So I have no idea why (Pirelli is taking the hardest tires)," he insisted.
Massa said he even discussed his concerns about Brazil with a Pirelli official.
"He said I'm right. I said they need to change it and he just said that he cannot decide. So I asked him to go to someone who does decide! The race is not tomorrow," said the Williams driver.
Asked about Massa's outspoken comments about Brazil, Pirelli chief Paul Hembery said: "Historically, we always take hard tires there.
"Now there is new asphalt so we'll check again. If there are technical reasons to go softer, we'll talk about it."