Pirelli announces its conclusions after the accidents of Stroll and Verstappen

Pirelli has submitted its investigation report after the spectacular tire incidents which punctuated the last Azerbaijan Grand Prix (June 4-6). 

Victims of a sudden deflation of their rear-left envelope on the immense straight line of the urban route of Baku, Lance stroll (Aston Martin) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) had been sent into the wall at very high speed, fortunately without seriousness for the Canadian as for the Dutchman. 

As required by procedure, an investigation was immediately launched by Pirelli, in partnership with the FIA, guarantor of regulations and safety in F1,  as well as the teams involved. To carry out its analysis work, the Milanese firm also studied the tires of other single-seaters having completed a similar number of laps. 

In a press release distributed this Tuesday evening, Pirelli indicates that there was “ no production or quality defects ". " No signs of wear or delamination » was not noted either. 

Above all, the manufacturer has identified the cause of the failures and it is not a piece of debris, as Mario Isola, Pirelli competition manager, initially thought and ironically predicted by Verstappen. No, the culprit is a “ circumferential crack of the inner sidewall, which may be linked to the conditions of use of the tire, despite compliance with the initial parameters (minimum pressure and maximum temperature of the covers) ». 

In other words: Aston Martin and Red Bull respected the instructions transmitted by Pirelli before each Grand Prix. The Austrian team also recalled this in a press release sent a few minutes after the letter from the official and exclusive supplier of the F1 field. Despite Sergio Pérez's victory, Red Bull was on course to sign a convincing double when Verstappen, then in the lead, was forced to retire on the 47th of the 51 laps of the race. 

After submitting its report to the FIA ​​and the teams, Pirelli, still in collaboration with the governing body, agreed to the implementation of new protocols, the details of which have already been shared with stakeholders. These measures aim in particular to « monitor operating conditions during a race weekend and consider any type of appropriate action ». 

They will come into force this week for the French Grand Prix (June 18-20).