F1 must not jump to conclusions over Pirelli blowouts - McLaren

Max Verstappen crashed in Azerbaijan — Photo: © LAT Images

Azerbaijan Grand Prix

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F1 must not jump to conclusions over Pirelli blowouts - McLaren

Stroll and Verstappen suffered violent tyre failures in Azerbaijan

Sam Hall

Tuesday 8 June 2021 13:39

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has warned that F1 must not leap to conclusions following a brace of dramatic tyre blowouts during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Lance Stroll and Max Verstappen were sent careening into concrete walls lining the Baku City Circuit after the left-rear tyre on their Aston Martin and Red Bull respectively failed without warning.

Following an initial investigation, and pending a more detailed analysis Pirelli suggested the incidents were caused by the drivers running over debris, a fate Verstappen had predicted would be the case when talking to TV crews, commenting: “It will be related to debris, it’s like that".

In the wake of the two incidents, Seidl called for cool heads.

He said: "It is very important now after such incidents that we stay calm and wait for the analysis from Pirelli, from the teams before we jump to any conclusions too early.”

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Confirming the state of the tyres removed from Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo's cars, he clarified: “We didn’t have any issues.

"We also checked during the red flag the state of our tyres for any cuts as well and we didn’t see anything."

Interruptions mask McLaren pace

McLaren endured a tough qualifying on Saturday, with Ricciardo bowing out after a Q2 crash and Lando Norris, despite setting the sixth fastest time, being hit with a three-place grid penalty for ignoring red-flag procedures.

Both drivers recovered to finish in the points, with Norris fifth and Ricciardo ninth but the interruptions left Seidl unsure if the result exceeded, matched or was less than the MCL35M's true potential.

“It is difficult to say what would have been possible in a normal race and [it is] also difficult to say what would have been possible if we would have finished in quali where we should have been in terms of car performance," added Seidl.

“But in the end, it doesn’t count. You need to get it together on Saturday and Sunday and that is what you have to work for and then you get the results you deserve as a team and that is our focus.”