Ecclestone lends support to Pirelli

In the wake of Pirelli’s decision to provide a new range of tyres to Formula One after the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, the series’ chief, Bernie Ecclestone has defended the manufacturer’s approach. While stopping short of praising the four early 2013 season P Zero compounds, Ecclestone noted the difficulties inherent in the task he gave Pirelli – to make tyres to last less than half a race. He explained that different driving styles, cars, circuits and operating temperatures make it difficult to provide a tyre that fits this specification.

Asked about the situation with Pirelli, Ecclestone explained: “I asked Pirelli to make tyres that would not complete 50 percent of a race – meaning we need pit stops. And that’s what they did. It is very, very difficult to predict and say these tyres will last 15 or 20 percent of the race because each circuit is different – we are facing very different temperatures, the cars are different, and last but not least each driver has a different driving style.”

Ecclestone commented that the drivers in F1 were being forced to make more decisions through the tyre philosophy he instigated with Pirelli: “In the times when Niki [Lauda] was racing his biggest concern was looking after the gearbox and the brakes – not the tyres. Then we got away from that and the drivers didn’t have to think about anything. Now they have to use their brains and start thinking about how to win races.”

“The easiest thing for Pirelli would be to produce tyres that you put on at the first race of the season and take off at the last. That would be easy, easy,” concluded Ecclestone.

Ecclestone made his comments in a recent interview with his former Brabham driver, Niki Lauda – who has recently returned to F1 as non-executive chairman of the Mercedes AMG team. The full interview was published on the Formula One website.

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