The three F1 teams who blocked Pirelli’s attempt to introduce a new construction of tire in response to earlier failures say they will no longer oppose the move.
Meanwhile plans are afoot for Pirelli to be granted the chance to conduct two three-day tire tests to prevent a repeat of the potentially dangerous failures seen during the British Grand Prix.
Ferrari, Lotus and Force India previously opposed Pirelli’s plan to switch from tires with steel belts to Kevlar as they claimed it would hand their rivals an advantage. Pirelli wanted to make the change after a series of delaminations occurred earlier in the season.
However in the light of the multiple failures at Silverstone the trio have removed their objections. Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali said: “It’s important to move forward and solve the issue because it’s something that is very important for all of us.” Ferrari were among the teams to suffer a failure on Sunday.
Formula One commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt have agreed to grant an exception to the ban on in-season testing to find a solution to the problem.
“[Pirelli have] said they’d like to sort it out, but they don’t have a chance to do any testing because of these silly restrictions we have,” said Ecclestone.
“But I spoke to Jean Todt over the weekend and he has said ‘Let them test’.
“So he has allowed them to run two three-day tests between now and… well, when they want, to try to do something for next year, as well as this year, so that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”
