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24th
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Adapted from GMM
Pressure is mounting on F1 supplier Pirelli to change its tires.
It is being whispered ever louder in the Sepang paddock that Red Bull, Mercedes and perhaps other teams are pushing hard for the Italian supplier to amend the heavily-degrading tires supplied so far in 2013 in Australia and Malaysia.
"There are definitely signs about a change of the compound," Mercedes' Toto Wolff is quoted by SID news agency.
Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko says Pirelli "has promised" to change its tyre compounds in time for next month's Bahrain grand prix.
Pirelli's Paul Hembery, however, said the marque will only look to change tack if the teams "unanimously" demand it.
"That (unanimity) is definitely not the case," he insisted.
"If we do something, and suddenly two or three cars are no longer competitive but some others are suddenly faster, then we just have a new problem.
"We are analysing the situation," Pirelli is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, "but there is still no decision."
Mercedes and Red Bull's argument revolves around a safety issue.
"(The) fact is that the tires are not only developing extreme degradation after only a few laps, but big chunks quarry out," Marko told F1's official website.
"So this looks like there is an issue with the basics of the tires. Note, the tires have these problems -- not us."
So rather than rush back to Milton-Keynes to make improvements to the car that will perhaps make it slower, Marko said the priority for Red Bull is to "sit down with Pirelli".
As for the claim that Lotus is doing so well because its 2010 car - the Renault R30 - is now used by Pirelli as its test mule, Hembery dismissed it as a "conspiracy theory (that is) not based on fact".
And a Lotus source is quoted by Italy's La Stampa: "If our car was like 2010, we would be in bad shape."
Pressure is mounting on F1 supplier Pirelli to change its tires.
It is being whispered ever louder in the Sepang paddock that Red Bull, Mercedes and perhaps other teams are pushing hard for the Italian supplier to amend the heavily-degrading tires supplied so far in 2013 in Australia and Malaysia.
"There are definitely signs about a change of the compound," Mercedes' Toto Wolff is quoted by SID news agency.
Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko says Pirelli "has promised" to change its tyre compounds in time for next month's Bahrain grand prix.
Pirelli's Paul Hembery, however, said the marque will only look to change tack if the teams "unanimously" demand it.
"That (unanimity) is definitely not the case," he insisted.
"If we do something, and suddenly two or three cars are no longer competitive but some others are suddenly faster, then we just have a new problem.
"We are analysing the situation," Pirelli is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, "but there is still no decision."
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| Despite safety concerns, Red Bull finished 1-2 in Malaysia followed by... two Mercedes (Photo: WRi2) |
Mercedes and Red Bull's argument revolves around a safety issue.
"(The) fact is that the tires are not only developing extreme degradation after only a few laps, but big chunks quarry out," Marko told F1's official website.
"So this looks like there is an issue with the basics of the tires. Note, the tires have these problems -- not us."
So rather than rush back to Milton-Keynes to make improvements to the car that will perhaps make it slower, Marko said the priority for Red Bull is to "sit down with Pirelli".
As for the claim that Lotus is doing so well because its 2010 car - the Renault R30 - is now used by Pirelli as its test mule, Hembery dismissed it as a "conspiracy theory (that is) not based on fact".
And a Lotus source is quoted by Italy's La Stampa: "If our car was like 2010, we would be in bad shape."