31/08/2015
NEWS STORY
Pirelli will reveal the results of its investigation into Sebastian Vettel's Spa tyre failure at Monza.
The Italian tyre manufacturer has been back in the spotlight following the German's retirement on the penultimate lap of the Belgian Grand Prix whilst holding off Romain Grosjean in the battle for third.
Uncharacteristically, Vettel immediately went on the attack, citing Nico Rosberg's tyre failure days earlier, saying such things shouldn't happen.
Pirelli, which put Rosberg's failure down to an "outside source", suggesting the Mercedes driver had run over an object which cut his tyre, suggested that Ferrari's race failure was to blame, the Italian team having opted for a single stop for its driver.
The tyre manufacturer subsequently claimed to have previously called on the FIA to impose mileage limits on tyres, stating that if such limits had been applied at Spa, the maximum number of laps on the medium compound would have been 22, whereas Vettel completed 28.
That said, prior to the incident, which took place shortly after Eau Rouge, there was no discernible drop-off in performance indeed, Vettel appeared to have strong pace and looked likely to hold off Grosjean.
Vettel subsequently took to his personal website to defend his team and its strategy, whilst the Grand Prix Drivers' Association - effectively the drivers' union - also waded into the debate.
"We have finalised the investigation into Sebastian Vettel’s tyre at Spa," said Paul Hembery in Pirelli's preview to next week's Italian Grand Prix, where the same soft and medium compounds will be used. "Detailed conclusions from the technical analysis will be presented at Monza."