Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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chrisc90
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Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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We've all heard George Russell be so vocal after Baku and again during qualifying today at Singapore. I'm thinking, how valid are his points regarding the tyres just having a mind of their own? Some work, some don't, some compounds are losing masses amounts of lap times vs the others. Cars working vs not working during different compounds.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/pirel ... /10656406/
Mess with the Bull - you get the horns.

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johnny vee
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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I did not think so initially but there seems to be something to this.
"Because you didn't come here to make the choice, you've already made it. You're here to try to understand why you made it. I thought you'd have figured that out by now." The Oracle, Matrix Reloaded

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Vanja #66
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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RB, McL have basically no issues with tyres. Ferrari isn't loading them too much by design, so they suffer in colder conditions fairly consistently. Russell's been taking lessons from the leading expert in blame shifting in F1, his boss, and he took a chance to show off his new skills
And they call it a stall. A STALL!

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Zynerji
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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Maybe Merc can get another secret tyre test to sort it out? 🤔

GrizzleBoy
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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I personally have not trusted Pirelli ever since I heard Martin Brundle mention during Sebastian Vettel's reign that Seb was the only driver to personally visit the Pirelli factory. Never sat right with me.

TwanV
TwanV
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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I also remember a massive pace drop off in q3 on two sets for Red Bull a couple of races ago that seemed a little fishy

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organic
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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TwanV wrote:
21 Sep 2024, 22:35
I also remember a massive pace drop off in q3 on two sets for Red Bull a couple of races ago that seemed a little fishy
Think that was mostly track temperature. Plummeted for Q3 and RB took the hit more than others

the EDGE
the EDGE
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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The tyres are incredibly temperature sensitive

A small change in track temp, or preparation lap, or a small slide, can make a big difference

I guess McLaren currently have the best balance to start with, so suffer less than others

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pob
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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A little variation is expected. That's why the tyres are distributed randomly by the FIA to teams. Now it's hard to say whether something has happened which has made Pirelli's quality control worse, or whether this is just their extreme sensitivity to temperature. It does look like there has been increasing cases of tyres of the same compound behaving differently from set to set, and this is is not unique to Mercedes.

Rikhart
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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So I think we're up to 3 drivers complaining of this, where there's smoke there's fire, as they say...

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Quantum
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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Vanja #66 wrote:
21 Sep 2024, 20:41
RB, McL have basically no issues with tyres. Ferrari isn't loading them too much by design, so they suffer in colder conditions fairly consistently. Russell's been taking lessons from the leading expert in blame shifting in F1, his boss, and he took a chance to show off his new skills
RB have no issue with tyres you say? :lol:
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hollus
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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Can it be that that used to be 3 tenths of lap time variation set to set, and used to cost you 1 position, is now 3 tenths of variation set to set, and costs you 4 positions or a Q2 exit?
Rivals, not enemies.

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organic
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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Quantum wrote:
22 Sep 2024, 12:42
Vanja #66 wrote:
21 Sep 2024, 20:41
RB, McL have basically no issues with tyres. Ferrari isn't loading them too much by design, so they suffer in colder conditions fairly consistently. Russell's been taking lessons from the leading expert in blame shifting in F1, his boss, and he took a chance to show off his new skills
RB have no issue with tyres you say? :lol:
RB main issue is aerodynamic. Their window is extremely narrow for other reasons than tyres. They have the same troubles at all tracks in all conditions. Cars that have trouble with inconsistency of tyres seem to have conditions where they suffer far less (Merc in colder/wet, Ferrari in hotter)
Last edited by organic on 22 Sep 2024, 12:53, edited 1 time in total.

DRS
DRS
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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So, what are people suggesting, that the quality control from Pirelli is terrible and all tyres aren't equal, or are drivers getting tyres that are all equally bad?

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organic
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Re: Inconsistencies in Pirelli tyres

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DRS wrote:
22 Sep 2024, 12:51
So, what are people suggesting, that the quality control from Pirelli is terrible and all tyres aren't equal, or are drivers getting tyres that are all equally bad?
As Hollus indicates it's very possible imo that quality control hasn't become worse / tyres aren't any more inconsistent. But the field spread has condensed rapidly over the past 3 years, and to an extreme degree over the last 12 months. The effect of any perceived inconsistency will then be magnified.

Perhaps in light of smaller field spread pirelli should therefore improve QC