The trouble with tyres

Cloning gives way to rubber as the major topic of conversation around F1

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Let’s be honest. Brake ducts have long been allowed to also function as effective aerodynamic devices on F1 cars, which reinforces Renault’s right to protest Racing Point on the basis of obtaining these now ‘non-listed’ items from Mercedes. But what everyone is really waiting to know is whether there was any forbidden technical collusion between Mercedes and Racing Point that has allowed the latter to construct such an apparently detailed clone of the former’s 2019 car.

I can understand and respect Lawrence Stroll being adamant in defence of his team and reputation, hence the protest against the FIAimposed punishment. However, if one sticks one’s head above the parapet to the extent Racing Point has, with its alleged copy of a whole car, one should expect to be shot at. Some might say (politely) they were taking the Mickey, but I don’t recall Toto Wolff ever getting quite so het up before…

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While being honest on this front, let’s also be frank that, no matter how dedicated a Lewis Hamilton supporter one might be, there was an element of schadenfreude in seeing the mighty Mercedes team trip over itself at Silverstone. Might they have thought to run less downforce overall to protect those fragile Pirellis and avoid the heat and stress build up that occurred?

As a consequence, as well as car cloning, the headlines around the world are once again occupied by F1 tyres. And I can do no better than quote Hamilton on the basic issue concerning this: