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Pirelli proposes new tyre construction from F1 British GP

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With the team starting to make huge gains in downforce through the 2023 car, Pirelli felt it would make sense to intervene at Silverstone in July, introducing the firmer tyres, just in time.

This was done less for security reasons and more to ensure that there would be no problems in the future. The compound of the new tires will be the same as currently used.

Pirelli has been monitoring the progress the team has made with the car for weeks, with sources saying the levels of downforce produced are on par with those expected at the end of the season.

Furthermore, the dramatic improvement in lap times at last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix highlighted that the car will only get faster as the team prepares to implement more upgrades over the next few races.

After discussions with the FIA, Pirelli has decided to take action to avoid any serious problems as F1 prepares for some of the most challenging circuits of the summer, such as Silverstone, Spa and Zandvoort. The risk of tire failure is logical.

Pirelli has therefore proposed to the FIA ​​that it be allowed to use the new construction tires at the British Grand Prix on July 9.

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen receives the Pirelli pole position from Pirelli Motorsport Manager Mario Isola

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen receives the Pirelli pole position from Pirelli Motorsport Manager Mario Isola

Photography: Mark Sutton/ motorsport pictures

Under F1’s technical regulations, any mid-season construction changes need to go through a formal process – either approved by the teams or enforced on safety grounds.

Article 10.8.3 states that once a tire specification has been set for the season, “it cannot be changed without the consent of the Formula 1 Commission. Notwithstanding the above, for safety reasons the FIA ​​may decide to change the specification during the Championship season without notice or delay.”

Eight of the 10 teams are needed to win the F1 Commission’s approval this year.

If plans for the British GP are in place, the next question will be when teams will start testing them, with Pirelli eager to ensure they are tried out beforehand.

The next race at Imola is already being run on a different tire ruleset as part of a sustainability assessment, and Monaco is not a logical place to assess rubber.

The Spanish Grand Prix in early June could be relevant, as is the subsequent race in Canada. After that, the Austrian Grand Prix is ​​a sprint race, so no tire testing was possible.

Reflecting on Miami’s performance leap, Pirelli and F1 racing director Mario Isola said the nearly two-second improvement compared to last year was eye-opening — though some of that can be attributed to the freshly laid asphalt.

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19

Photography: Andy Horn / motorsport pictures

Even so, Isola said it was becoming increasingly clear that teams had made the cars faster for 2023, although floor changes were expected to slow them down this year.

“We talked about the new regulations at the end of last year, they might be a little bit slower, let’s say they’re half a second slower because of the new regulations,” he said in Miami.

“But they’re faster because we have to think about a year’s worth of development.”

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Perez “cannot afford another zero” in F1 2023 season

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The Red Bull driver was last in Sunday’s race and was out in Q1 qualifying.

He went on to make five pit stops in a dismal race that saw him twice passed by team-mate and race winner Max Verstappen, who now leads the championship by 39 points.

Although it marked Perez’s first game of the season without scoring, the Mexican said his error was “costly” and “unacceptable”.

He said: “We paid for my mistake and it was very costly. I just have to apologize to my whole team because it was unacceptable for this kind of mistake to be made.

“I have to move on and learn from it, I can’t afford another zero in the tournament.”

Despite the poor finish, Perez had a “very good” start to the race, finishing 15th on lap 30, but dropped back into the standings after a couple of incidents and a period of rain.

He also collided with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen in the corner on lap 34, breaking his front wing.

Perez said he “didn’t know what happened” but was “considerably hurt” by the incident.

He added: “It went well. Unfortunately I hit traffic early on and that put us back where we were. Then it rained and we were one of the last to pit.

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19, Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo C43

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19, Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo C43

Photography: Simon Galloway/ motorsport pictures

“Then I cut the wall and it all became a mess. Me and Magnussen broke my front wing and he just came out of the chicane (deeply) and it went bad.

“When you’re in those positions, you’re always taking a lot of risks.”

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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said it had been a “bad weekend” for Perez, blaming the poor result on a crash in qualifying that “put you at a disadvantage”.

He also said Perez was inside Ocon’s maintenance window before getting stuck behind slow-moving traffic.

Horner said: “We took a very aggressive strategy. Stopped on the first lap and you could see how fast he was in the free space and how much the others were saving.

“He actually came back inside the pit window on Esteban Ocon, and then (Logan) Sargeant and the slow car started to struggle and, of course, you couldn’t overtake.

“Then he got involved in a melee with (George) Russell and damaged the front wing. It was just one of those weekends where he got nothing done.

“He saved a lot of money in the pool, so he might need a new pair of underwear after that.

“For him, it’s just one of those weekends where[he should]turn the page and I think for him, the sooner he gets to Barcelona the better.”

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Verstappen: 'We always have to be perfect'

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Max Verstappen gave a masterclass in the narrow streets of Monte Carlo. The Dutchman once again showed his raw talent, whether in the rain or on dry tarmac. If the Dutchman fails to win, there are still two contenders for the title. Teammate Sergio Perez and his friend Fernando Alonso. Will the Spaniard get another chance at victory soon? Verstappen responded at a press conference.

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Alonso wants to fight for title: 'I don't get obsessed with it'

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Fernando Alonso came very close to his first race win since Barcelona 2012. The Spaniard trailed Max Verstappen, who left the Aston Martin driver behind with a masterclass finish. It was more flavorful for Alonso, he told a news conference.

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