2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku, June 04 - 06

[Edax]

Pirelli is notoriously for putting it "cuts". It did so during the 2013 British GP, where tyres were blowing up left and right. It blamed it on the high downforce levels and the sharp kerbstones. However, the grand prix afterwards they replaced the steel belts in the tyres with kevlar ones and the problems got solved.

Now, Baku is also notorious for debris. It is totally possible debris actually cut the tyre. But, there should be some resistance to very small pieces cutting the tyre up. A butter knife can technically cut through wood. Does that mean it should?

IMO, let's wait and see. Red Bull will probably have a reply ready should Pirelli try to just pin it on debris.

Sure they can claim debris, but that is not the issue. Punctures can happen, it is part of the sport. The problem is the catastrophic nature of the failure mode. Tires shouldn’t give like this. And yet we have seen a number of times how the tire suddenly gives way over the whole perimeter at max load.

The problem IMO is if tires suddenly snap like that on a straight and send cars off at random angles, the cars can end up in places of the circuit that are less protected.

Of course Verstappen lost out on a podium, but for me the scary part was the crash of stroll. The risk of him being T-boned was I think very real. Not to mention what would happen if a car gets sent like that into the pitlane entry at 300+ km/hr.

Safety is acting on what could have happened, and in this case I think Pirelly and the FIA cannot afford to let this situation continue.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Masi should have finished the race under the safety car. Pathetic handling of the situation, it's clear Masi didn't have any idea what to do when you heard the Red Bull team radioing him. The FIA needs to replace him pronto.

Another mickey mouse race from the FIA circus

[El Scorchio]

If I’m Hamilton, I do not want Mr Lock up directly behind me at this restart. Surely Vettel will not risk the podium with a reckless move?

Turns out he was Mr. Lock-up himself. The irony.

You know what? That’s EXACTLY what I thought when it happened!

And I’m delighted for Vettel, just as I’m sure you are.

[Mchamilton]

Masi should have finished the race under the safety car. Pathetic handling of the situation, it's clear Masi didn't have any idea what to do when you heard the Red Bull team radioing him. The FIA needs to replace him pronto.

Another mickey mouse race from the FIA circus

Why? I'm sure 99.9% of people watching would rather see a standing start and 2 laps of action than a race finishing bein a safety car.

[taperoo2k]

No changes? Broken front wing, unscrewing and removing the bodywork panels to change or address God knows what. At first I was pissed they just didn't let the race end on yellow, but I couldn't be happier that the red flag and restart guided Karma back to our side lol!

BTW, the drama was when Max was robbed of the victory. He clearly was the class of the field.

your bias is clearly obvious. the front wing was changed because the nose cone was damaged. looking at the dent it couldve been a rock or debris thrown at it. NOT A MISTAKE. if it was ham wouldve dnfed.
youre naive to think that merc was the only car that made changes. EVERYONE did. and perez was lucky to even cross the line. had it been a SC only his engine wouldnt have been able to cool down and may have popped on lap 50/51.

When did I say Mercedes was the only team to make changes? Never. Don't be one of those people who put words in other people's mouth.

Hamiliton's front wing had clear damage, under the rules teams can change parts like for like on safety grounds under red flag conditions. I'm enjoying the battle between Hamilton and Verstappen, whoever wins the title will have earned it. Lewis will likely be berating himself for making an error that could cost him the title in the end. Max wasn't robbed of anything. He was just unlucky that his tyre went, it's not cost him the championship lead. Lance Stroll did a good job to keep his car out of the way after his tyre blow out. I'm a bit concerned that if debris cutting the tyre was the cause that they'd give way like that without any warning signs.

I'm looking forward to the sprint races, we'll see if shaking the grid up makes a difference to the main race.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Masi should have finished the race under the safety car. Pathetic handling of the situation, it's clear Masi didn't have any idea what to do when you heard the Red Bull team radioing him. The FIA needs to replace him pronto.

Another mickey mouse race from the FIA circus

Why? I'm sure 99.9% of people watching would rather see a standing start and 2 laps of action than a race finishing bein a safety car.

It was a stunt, very stupid and artificial. The race director should be ensuring we get a safe and fair race, it's not about making it "exciting". I'm sure plenty of people find it exciting seeing cars go into concrete walls at 200mph, personally not me.

[Restomaniac]

Masi should have finished the race under the safety car. Pathetic handling of the situation, it's clear Masi didn't have any idea what to do when you heard the Red Bull team radioing him. The FIA needs to replace him pronto.

Another mickey mouse race from the FIA circus

I’m not sure having drivers stay on tyres that have had failures after a certain amount of laps was a good idea and neither did the team with the leading car so obviously the team with most to lose.

[Restomaniac]

Masi should have finished the race under the safety car. Pathetic handling of the situation, it's clear Masi didn't have any idea what to do when you heard the Red Bull team radioing him. The FIA needs to replace him pronto.

Another mickey mouse race from the FIA circus

Why? I'm sure 99.9% of people watching would rather see a standing start and 2 laps of action than a race finishing bein a safety car.

It was a stunt, very stupid and artificial. The race director should be ensuring we get a safe and fair race, it's not about making it "exciting". I'm sure plenty of people find it exciting seeing cars go into concrete walls at 200mph, personally not me.

So RedBull asked for a restart instead of getting an easy 1st place behind the safety car for giggles? Not because they feared another tyre may fail obviously. It’s all down to Masi damn him.

[Big Tea]

What a crap race. The drivers just as well have stayed in the shed and rolled dice for results. A waste of a weekend. Which is not to take anything from Checo, he worked for it

[jjn9128]

And how does that conclusively indicate it is a Pirelli fault? You are clutching at straws. Lets wait for Pirelli to investigate and then conclude. There is no need to accuse them before you know all the facts.

Horner said their team thinks it was a tire failure. You don't know what you're talking about at all.

Hey a classic example here where both parties make a decent point, but get too feisty with the wording... . Please, do stay respectful.

Pirelli is notoriously for putting it "cuts". It did so during the 2013 British GP, where tyres were blowing up left and right. It blamed it on the high downforce levels and the sharp kerbstones. However, the grand prix afterwards they replaced the steel belts in the tyres with kevlar ones and the problems got solved.

Now, Baku is also notorious for debris. It is totally possible debris actually cut the tyre. But, there should be some resistance to very small pieces cutting the tyre up. A butter knife can technically cut through wood. Does that mean it should?

IMO, let's wait and see. Red Bull will probably have a reply ready should Pirelli try to just pin it on debris.

Cuts is the standard explanation yes (spa '13 springs to mind). But iirc 2013 silverstone was teams running their tyres on the opposite hands of the car - overheating the inside shoulder.

Pirelli were asked to produce a certain type of tyre but Bridgestone and Michelin said no on principle.

[jjn9128]

Masi should have finished the race under the safety car. Pathetic handling of the situation, it's clear Masi didn't have any idea what to do when you heard the Red Bull team radioing him. The FIA needs to replace him pronto.

Another mickey mouse race from the FIA circus

Tbh it's the first time I think Masi's got it right! He's been mostly useless.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Why? I'm sure 99.9% of people watching would rather see a standing start and 2 laps of action than a race finishing bein a safety car.

It was a stunt, very stupid and artificial. The race director should be ensuring we get a safe and fair race, it's not about making it "exciting". I'm sure plenty of people find it exciting seeing cars go into concrete walls at 200mph, personally not me.

So RedBull asked for a restart instead of getting an easy 1st place behind the safety car for giggles? Not because they feared another tyre may fail obviously. It’s all down to Masi damn him.

Your comment doesn't make any sense to me. I wasn't making any suggestion or accusation against Red Bull if that's what you are suggesting? My point was it was clear race control had very little control over the situation at that point in time, as evidence by that radio exchange.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Pirelli were asked to produce a certain type of tyre but Bridgestone and Michelin said no on principle.

They stopped producing the "exciting" tyre a long time ago. What we have today is the best they can do, and it's still no good. The rules were changed this year to reduce the downforce levels because Pirelli said the tyres would fail. Even with those changes, the tyres still fail.

[Shrieker]

I'm bettering we're going to see a slightly larger guard on whichever switch or button actuates brake magic before the next race.

I just don't see any change on the dash.

Normally when they adjust BB thru the lap, you can see the numbers on the dash. It may be different with brake magic, if it's an on/off toggle.

In any case, it is something of vital importance that should pop up on the display when it's been toggled. Bruh moment for Merc, if there is lack of both visual and audible warning..

And looking at the vid, he locks up the inside tire only. The outside doesn't seem to lock.

I'm leaning on not buying this.

[jjn9128]

Pirelli were asked to produce a certain type of tyre but Bridgestone and Michelin said no on principle.

They stopped producing the "exciting" tyre a long time ago. What we have today is the best they can do, and it's still no good. The rules were changed this year to reduce the downforce levels because Pirelli said the tyres would fail. Even with those changes, the tyres still fail.

They're still producing tyres to force stops, it's just the thermal deg which is supposed to have been designed out. The 2022 tyres I think will be more robust again.