Pirelli presents its conclusions on the punctures seen at the Qatar GP

After carrying out a thorough investigation, Pirelli is able to reveal the origin of the four punctures that occurred during the last Qatar Grand Prix (November 19-21).

Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes), Lando Norris (McLaren), and the pilots Williams George Russell and Nicholas latifi suffered from a problem at the front left, the Canadian having to give up after his puncture.

Just after the race, Mario Isola favored the track of excessive wear but the head of the Pirelli competition department did not want to exclude any option before having studied the damaged tires more closely.

Pirelli explains this Friday that the punctures were caused by repeated passages at high speed on the curbs of the Losail circuit, which hosted the F1 for the first time in its history last month.

The tires thus absorbed “ considerable vertical and lateral loads », says Pirelli, and these “ high demands, which were not measurable via the data available before the event, damaged the tire construction and resulted in a loss of pressure in the inner sidewall ". The structure then collapsed after a few seconds.

The Milan firm also claims that its products were not defective. Pirelli naturally shared its conclusions with the FIA ​​and the teams.