2015 Belgian Grand Prix - 21-23 August

[RZS10]

what i wrote in the chat, from seperate RTL interviews with lauda and vettel

lauda "the tyres are not a problem"

vettel "the tyres are rubbish, have been for years, pirelli said the tyres can last 40 laps [no one else until now has confirmed this claim], i was never off the track [hahaha] so nothing could have damaged the tyre"

lauda "it's stupid and unfair to blame pirelli - if one of our drivers criticized pirelli in such a way we'd have a serious discussion. you can't insult a partner in such a manner, who gives everything to provide the best they can"

[zeph]

Ehhh... Pirelli's job is very explicitly to produce tires that don't last a whole race. The FIA, the people who pay them, very explicitly asked for that.

It seems to me that Vettel's tyre blowing up was exactly the behaviour you'd expect from Pirelli doing their job.

No they should lose performance so that 2-3 stops per races are expected not that they should blow out suddenly.

No. Ferrari kept Vettel out for 30+ laps, more than 200 km, I think. Everybody in F1 KNOWS those tires aren't designed to last that long. They gambled on rain, and lost.

[Juzh]

Funny how bridgestones never blew out despite being pushed at 10 times the rate for the entire races more often than not.
Bottom line: PIRELLI IS ******* INCOMPETENT AT THEIR JOB.

Ehhh... Pirelli's job is very explicitly to produce tires that don't last a whole race. The FIA, the people who pay them, very explicitly asked for that.

It seems to me that Vettel's tyre blowing up was exactly the behaviour you'd expect from Pirelli doing their job.

hahahaha. They were asked to produce DEGRADING tires, not EXPLODING tires. See the difference there? Vettel had very minimal degradation, because his laptimes were good. What he got was an exploding tire with no prior warning (as in completely losing grip) . Pace was in the 1:55s and up. Compared to sub 1:50 5 years ago on bridgestones. And yet those didn't delaminate all of sudden for no reason, other than being an UTTERLY --- tire.

[Silent Storm]

Vettel's lap times looked good because the cars behind were slow like the Lotus and Force india. Both Merc laptimes were good too they could get away without pitting but they still pitted because the tyres are not meant to last that long and they were degrading plus Spa puts a lot of pressure on the tyres as shown by Bhall.

[Moose]

His lap times were not good at all. Note that a Lotus (generally a car that positions several places behind a Ferrari) was comfortably catching him.

[iotar__]

- Grosjean - driver making a difference on a track that sometimes makes it possible, easily performance of the season, still at 90% of potential

- Vettel was lucky RG had 5 places penalty, then I'd say too much kerbs driving, respect track limits next time, you go off all the time something can happen, stop complaining about tyres, when he broke his FW in Bahrain no one blamed Ferrari
- "New Senna" aka Verstappen - awkward and stiff (like all RB drivers) on the last lap, yeah who needs GP2.
- Pointless change of start procedures by technically ignorant Ecclestone didn't matter that much, Rosberg had a poor one and Ricciardo a good one. One race is statistically invalid but without changing clutches etc. don't expect too much.

[Juzh]

His lap times were not good at all. Note that a Lotus (generally a car that positions several places behind a Ferrari) was comfortably catching him.

2/10s a lap with 10 laps younger tires. Such comfy catching.

[LionKing]

No. Ferrari kept Vettel out for 30+ laps, more than 200 km, I think. Everybody in F1 KNOWS those tires aren't designed to last that long. They gambled on rain, and lost.

Vettel did not do 30+ laps. I think tire failed with 27 laps on them.

[LionKing]

Vettel's lap times looked good because the cars behind were slow like the Lotus and Force india. Both Merc laptimes were good too they could get away without pitting but they still pitted because the tyres are not meant to last that long and they were degrading plus Spa puts a lot of pressure on the tyres as shown by Bhall.

Not on this track, Mercedes engined cars dominated quali yesterday remember.
How come Kimi finished behind so many other cars if Lotus and FI were slow in this track as well?

[zeph]

No. Ferrari kept Vettel out for 30+ laps, more than 200 km, I think. Everybody in F1 KNOWS those tires aren't designed to last that long. They gambled on rain, and lost.

Vettel did not do 30+ laps. I think tire failed with 27 laps on them.

I'll have to wait for the data to be posted, but didn't he pit in lap 11 or 12? Just like HAM and ROS?

[RZS10]

Hembrey in RTL interview
- did NOT confirm the 40lap claim
- told the teams to do 2 or 3 stop
- understands that Vettel is emotional
- had the race been one lap shorter everyone would be amazed that it lasted that long
- the tyres were completely gone, this would happen with every tyre when there's no more rubber left

sky interview
- same stuff as in RTL interview
- wear life was indicated at 40 laps but that's just an indication, which changes with conditions
- wear issue, replay shows it

[LionKing]

I think at the end of lap 13. But I have to check as well

[LionKing]

No. Ferrari kept Vettel out for 30+ laps, more than 200 km, I think. Everybody in F1 KNOWS those tires aren't designed to last that long. They gambled on rain, and lost.

Vettel did not do 30+ laps. I think tire failed with 27 laps on them.

I'll have to wait for the data to be posted, but didn't he pit in lap 11 or 12? Just like HAM and ROS?

Vettel was in front of HAM after Lewis stopped and came back to track.

[Silent Storm]

Vettel was on his 29th lap on those tyres in race which had 43 laps.

[Bomber_Pilot]

Vettel did 28 full laps on those tires.

EDIT: Grosjean did 21 laps on his tires at the time.