01/07/2016
NEWS STORY
In a letter sent to all the teams this morning, Race Director Charlie Whiting announced that in future tyre pressures will be checked before the wheels are fitted to cars.
The move comes after months of speculation that some teams were using a variety of methods to raise the pressures including heating the brakes in order that the heat is transferred to the rim, thereby increasing the tyre pressure.
Consequently, in consultation with Pirelli, Whiting has advised the teams that all tyres - old and new - will be checked before being fitted to the cars in all sessions and on the grid in the moments before the race.
"The minimum starting tyre pressures, as set out in the Pirelli preview for each event, will always be checked before the wheels are fitted to the car," wrote Whiting. "These checks will only be carried out on new tyres or used tyres from a previous session and done in the presence of, and verified by, the team's designated Pirelli engineer."
The teams must ensure that the tyre pressures are above the minimum recommended by Pirelli but will be allowed to adjust them if they are significantly above the level.
However, teams will not be allowed to release air from the tyres once the checks have been made... though air can be added.
"Once set no air may be released from the tyres but air may be added," added Whiting. "In addition, if a set of tyres is used more than once in any session there will be no requirement to reset the pressures to the minimum starting pressure."
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