Lewis Hamilton expressed dissatisfaction with the 2024 alterations to tyre regulations. However, Pirelli clarified that the decision was collectively approved by the teams.
In response to Hamilton’s comments following the practice session at the Japanese Grand Prix, Pirelli’s motorsport director, Simone Berra, offered clarification. The session was marred by rain, significantly reducing track time. Notably, Max Verstappen chose not to participate from his team’s garage.
The uncertainty of weather conditions for the upcoming race prompted teams to conserve their intermediate tyres, a strategy influenced by a new rule implemented this year by the F1 Sporting Advisory Committee.
Under the revised guidelines, drivers are allocated five sets of intermediate and two sets of wet tyres for the weekend. Crucially, there is no longer a requirement to return a set after Friday’s use.
Hamilton critiqued the rule, stating it “doesn’t make sense.” Berra, however, emphasized that Pirelli was not behind this decision. He explained, “This modification was discussed during the winter to have an extra set of intermediate tyres,” shedding light on the process behind the rule change.
“It was started as a discussion for the sprint races, and then it was applied to the normal races and was voted for by the teams together with the FIA and F1, so everything was approved.”
Before the introduction of the new regulations, drivers had access to four sets of the green-walled intermediate tyres. However, the observable hesitance to utilize these tyres during the Friday sessions at Suzuka has prompted Berra to suggest the possibility of upcoming dialogues with both the FIA and Formula 1 to find a resolution.
Berra further noted, “Now, the teams don’t have to return one set of intermediate tyres to us after free practice.
“Like last year, and especially this year, where you have a high level of degradation, a high level of aggressiveness from the Tarmac, and considering we could have rain on Sunday, they decided to keep all five sets.
“It is something we will discuss with the FIA and the teams to try and find a way to make them run in practice, but it is not our decision in the end.
“We could keep the five sets from the start, and say that if the session is declared wet, you have to return one set of intermediates.
“In that case, they will use it and then return it, as it would make no sense to not use it and return a new set.
“That could be a way to encourage them to run but they could run one lap and say, ‘Okay, we used it’. It is not up to us, but it is an open discussion.”
