F1 Tyre-Warmer Ban to be Axed

Following criticism from drivers and teams, the World Motor Sport Council is set to cancel its plans to forbid the use of tyre-warming blankets in Formula One. The proposed ban was due to be implemented from the start of the 2009 season, but safety fears abounded in the wake of the announcement.

Bridgestone, the manufacturer behind all F1’s tyres had previously suggested that the fears of drivers were motivated by the desire to retain an advantage over opposing teams, and that the company was confident that its new tyre would be safe to use whether cold or hot. The ban was proposed by the sport’s Technical Working Group as a way of slowing down the cars and making more possible the spectacle of passing manoeuvres.

However, the decision is all but made that the ban will be left on the shelf for at least another year. An announcement from Paris, where the Council is due to meet, is expected to that effect imminently.