Vettel Crashes in Tyre Test

[Bethonie Waring]

Sebastian Vettel has crashed during the first wet tyre test of the season.

The Ferrari driver was running a mule car at Fiorano when he lost control on the warm up lap and hit the barriers head on.

It’s understood Vettel did no damage to himself but the car was deemed too damage to continue the test today.

Pirelli has scheduled tests with mule cars run by Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull specifically for developing the wet weather tyres. Due to criticism from the drivers of the blue rimmed tyre last season, the manufacturers have put extra focus on developing the compound this season.

Ferrari third driver Antonio Giovinazzi was scheduled to take the wheel tomorrow, but Ferrari may decide to give Vettel a second day due to the early end of today’s test.

For more Formula One news and discussions head over to the RaceDepartment Formula One sub forum and join in with your fellow community members.

Do you expect the wet weather tyre to be better this season? Do you think the criticism of last season’s compound was fair? Let us know in the comments below!

 

[Rodent]

Car too damaged to continue testing: http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-forced-to-abandon-pirelli-wet-f1-test-872606/

Not off to the greatest start, then again it makes for a good spectacle when rain shakes things up, heck I still remember Spa 98 fondly. Go Jordans, and *censored* Coulthard.

 

[Will Mazeo]

So finding out a tire does not work can be expensive as hell

 

[Andrew Harper]

Just reading the article....

Issues with warm-up were highlighted at last year's Brazilian Grand Prix, and the matter has been put into sharper focus for 2017 thanks to a new rules that means there will be standing starts after safety car periods.

Oh no, what pantomime gimmick have they thought of now. Are they trying to create pile ups at restarts....

I could be misinterpreting the new rule but if they want to make the safety car starts more challenging maybe switch to double file restarts but don't do this.

 

[Martin Maaskant]

I'm a bit biased I know but one driver had no problems with his rain tires during the last Brazilian GP. If they want to solve the rain tire problem then look a bit more at the driver and the car then just blaming the tire.

 

[Will Mazeo]

Just reading the article....

Issues with warm-up were highlighted at last year's Brazilian Grand Prix, and the matter has been put into sharper focus for 2017 thanks to a new rules that means there will be standing starts after safety car periods.

Oh no, what pantomime gimmick have they thought of now. Are they trying to create pile ups at restarts....

I could be misinterpreting the new rule but if they want to make the safety car starts more challenging maybe switch to double file restarts but don't do this.

Agree, double file or just set a speed limit everyone has to keep before the green flag instead of allowing the leader to decide when to go, but standing restarts are just too damn stupid

 

[Robert_S]

Bring Goodyear back

 

[Mitja Bonca]

No such a big deal of a crash, just a small touch, but I believe enough to damaged the car not allowing him to continue.

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

Video here (well, a video of someone's broken phone showing a video): http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2017/02/09/vettel-crash-ends-ferraris-wet-weather-test-for-pirelli/

Looks like a fair shunt to me.

 

[Andy 'Mars Bar' Graham]

I'm a bit biased I know but two driver had no problems with his rain tires during the last Brazilian GP. If they want to solve the rain tire problem then look a bit more at the driver and the car then just blaming the tire.

You forgot Ocon

 

[Jan Larsen]

I believe the hit was harder than it looks as apparently Vettel got bruising from the seatbelts. 'A good'ol headon tug on the ribs' as Petty would call it

That aside; Pirelli must do better with wet weather tires. It cant be right that so many of the best drivers are having problems just staying on track nowadays. 10-15 years ago we never heard about drivers consistently complain about wet weather tires, its like technology has gone backwards. Probably not true this, but I bet if Michelin (or Bridgestone) made the tires the problem would go away.

 

[InsaneOzzie]

Shame for Vettel, that would be a little embarrassing actually, reckon the other F1 drivers will get some mileage out of it too, Bwoah!

This one tyre manufacturer monopoly in F1 is ridiculous, F1 one is about top level competition am I right? so why the hell isn't there all the tyre manufacturers, Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Yokohama, Pirelli and Hancook as part of the F1 competition, they all make racing rubber.

This would give teams more choice and create a tyre war to see just who can create the best racing rubber, the FIA could put some regs in place to make it so all the tyres have the same types of compounds in the different tyres eg: wets, inters & slicks.
And only have 3 slick compounds, this super soft etc is just BS from my point of view, good for qualy and that's about it.

Having more than one tyre manufacturer would create a lot more competition and could also bring more money to F1 with the tyre companies getting advertising with their logo's all over the cars in sponsorship deals with the teams, it's common sense really, but sense isn't common anymore I guess.

Cheers

 

[jonelsorel]

FIA better sanction some special, even wider tyres for Vettel, and fast. This is unnacceptable!

 

[Fanapryde]

and the matter has been put into sharper focus for 2017 thanks to a new rules that means there will be standing starts after safety car periods.

That info might not be correct.
I read several other articles where it says that there will be a standing start after safety car period at the beginning of a wet-weather race.
-----

Wet-weather standing starts
If a safety car is deemed to be required for the beginning of a race due to wet weather, unlike previously a normal standing start will occur once the track is deemed safe to race. The process will see the safety car return to the pit lane and the cars assemble on the grid for the start.

-----
Which seems more plausible that a standing restart after every safety car intervention.

 

[Andrew Harper]

Shame for Vettel, that would be a little embarrassing actually, reckon the other F1 drivers will get some mileage out of it too, Bwoah!

This one tyre manufacturer monopoly in F1 is ridiculous, F1 one is about top level competition am I right? so why the hell isn't there all the tyre manufacturers, Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Yokohama, Pirelli and Hancook as part of the F1 competition, they all make racing rubber.

This would give teams more choice and create a tyre war to see just who can create the best racing rubber, the FIA could put some regs in place to make it so all the tyres have the same types of compounds in the different tyres eg: wets, inters & slicks.
And only have 3 slick compounds, this super soft etc is just BS from my point of view, good for qualy and that's about it.

Having more than one tyre manufacturer would create a lot more competition and could also bring more money to F1 with the tyre companies getting advertising with their logo's all over the cars in sponsorship deals with the teams, it's common sense really, but sense isn't common anymore I guess.

Cheers

I think it's the age old problem my friend. Money.

Pirelli spend almost as much as a top F1 team each year supplying and developing tyres for the teams, they of course then have to pay through the nose to be the F1 supplier (back to Bernie again...)

Yes the teams do pay for the tyres but I bet Pirelli don't make much profit out of what they put in.

The only tyre manufacturer that seems to be interested is Michelin but only if they are the sole supplier. I guess the whole sensitive issue of marketing starts to creep in and they don't want to be made to look bad if they get beaten by the competition.

I do remember the last F1 tyre "war" and yes it did develop good races but the general view I got was the tyre makers hated it as they were having to spend millions constantly developing the tyres (Bridgestone vs Michelin). Some races were great and others were terrible in the case of the manufacturer getting their sums wrong. In the end Michelin had decided they'd spent enough and left (although the US Grand Prix debacle probably had a lot to do with it as well).

Maybe the new owners will make it so costs are dramatically reduced and that will entice manufacturers back into F1 but at the moment Pirelli are the only ones willing to spend countless millions supplying the formula.

Yes I agree with you, lets get more tyre manufacturers back into F1, it all depends on the politics I'm afraid.

Meanwhile I'll stick to WEC and GT3, everyone's racing in those!

 

[InsaneOzzie]

@Andrew Harper
Where on the same page then , funny how it basically comes down to the same old story of money!

And I totally agree with sticking to WEC & GT3 , I find them far more entertaining!!