Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has proposed an alternative solution to F1’s planned tyre blanket ban from next year.
Pirelli has so far conducted numerous tests with the F1 teams as it looks to develop a range of slick tyres designed to run from the outset without the need for pre-warming.
The ban is supposedly on cost grounds as well as potentially improving the racing given the vagaries of the temperatures in the tyres across the teams when the cars take to a track.
The feedback, however, has been muted from both drivers and teams, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso indicating he “is not a big fan of removing the blankets”, whilst Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director George Russell suggested it was “dangerous”.
The final test is due to be conducted at Silverstone after the forthcoming British Grand Prix on July 9, with Red Bull, Haas and Williams taking part, after which Pirelli will make a proposal to the FIA.
Whilst Horner wants to “reserve judgement until we’ve done a test”, he has hinted he is not in favour and has gone so far as suggesting one possible solution rather than an outright ban.
“Daniel (Ricciardo) is going to drive the car at the test, and we will get the feedback from that running and then I’m sure Pirelli will make the right decision,” said Horner. “I don’t think it’s what the drivers want.
“But my fear with these things is that when you think you’re going to achieve something simplistically that would create better racing, that there will then be a whole load of effort go into trying to heat tyres very quickly, on out-laps and so on, that could drive a lot more cost in.
“Everybody has tyre blankets, they do the job. I think what we should be looking at is sustainable ways of powering those tyre blankets as opposed to removing them.”
Ferrari was the most recent team to test, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz running the rule over the rubber at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya following the Spanish Grand Prix.
Leclerc has suggested there remains “a big question mark” as to how the tyres will perform in lower temperatures, given what he experienced in Spain was warm and dry.
Expanding, Leclerc said: “Well, you’ve got four or five corners where it’s very tricky, where the tyres need to get into temperature.
“When you are alone on track it is not that much of a problem, but, of course, if you are racing other cars, then it becomes very, very difficult to manage.
“If it remains four or five corners, even in low (temperature) conditions, then it’s something that we could consider.
“But obviously, with very low conditions, I expect this to be much longer, this warm-up period, and this then could become difficult.”
Pirelli has this season introduced wet tyres that now no longer use warming blankets but a plan to do similar with the inters layer this year has been met with resistance.
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