McLaren’s Sergio Perez exits the pit lane on the Pirelli medium compound tyres during Friday’s practice for the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. Photo: Mark Thompson / Getty Images
The threat of drivers boycotting today’s German Grand Prix seems to be fading away after almost 1,400 laps were done during practice without any hints of blow-outs that turned Silverstone into a safety concern last Sunday.
“We would not be racing if we did not feel the tyres were safe,” said Pirelli’s motorsport director, Paul Hembery, after practice, adding that 1,000 tyres had been produced and shipped to Germany from its factory in Turkey within 48 hours.
Hembery was backed up by Sebastian Vettel, the three-time world champion, who went further to suggest that the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) never had any intention of boycotting the race despite expressing its “deepest concerns” over safety after meeting on Thursday.
Vettel, 26 this week, said: “We didn’t say that we won’t race. We said that first of all we trust that the steps that Pirelli made are working and in practice I think they were. We came together but the point was not to threaten.” – The Guardian
Related articles
Formula One drivers shun German Grand Prix
Boycott fears for the German Grand Prix have all but faded away
GPDA issues boycott warning over Pirelli tires
F1 drivers threaten German GP boycott
