Tyre failure not the cause of Vettel deflation, says Pirelli
Following what it describes as an “extensive investigation” of the circumstances leading Sebastian Vettel’s tyre-related exit from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Pirelli says its engineers have ruled out the possibility that a structural failure of the tyre was causal factor. “We can confirm that a structural failure was not the cause of Sebastian Vettel’s deflation in Abu Dhabi, a conclusion that we have arrived at together with Red Bull Racing following a detailed examination and analysis of the remains of the tyre,” stated Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery. “We cannot rule out debris on the track causing damage to the tyre, which then provoked a deflation, but having looked at the track closely there is no direct evidence of this.”