VETTEL AND HAMILTON – A LARGELY NEGATIVE REACTION WITH 2021 F1 TYRES

This reaction is not a surprise, first because the cars are optimised for the 2020 tyres in their set-ups and therefore will not get the best from the 2021 rubber yet. Many other drivers also complained, including Alex Albon and Vettel.

Sebastian Vettel has echoed Lewis Hamilton’s criticism of Pirelli’s new 2021-spec F1 tyres following Friday practice at the Bahrain GP.

Following a ‘blind’ prototype test in Portugal last month, all the teams and drivers were handed sets of the revised construction for next season to test across both practice sessions in Bahrain on Friday.

But the tyres were not well received by the drivers, with Hamilton once again questioning Pirelli’s development of its tyres after labelling the 2021 compounds “worse” than before despite having two years to work on them.

“They were not a step forward, the opposite pretty much,” Vettel summarised when asked for his own review of the 2021 tyres.

“Probably worth a shot but I hope we don’t see these tyres again. They’re probably quite a lot worse compared to the tyres we currently run.”

Hamilton, who said back in February that Pirelli needed to produce better tyres for 2021, believes that F1 would be better off sticking with the 2019 tyres for a third straight season.

Asked if he agreed with Hamilton’s suggestion, Vettel replied: “If that one is the only option for ’21, then absolutely, I would love to stick with the ’19 tyres.

“I think as long as we don’t have a tyre that gives us anything that the current one doesn’t give, such as less overheating, better chance to fight each other, we shouldn’t get onto a different tyre.

“This one is worse, for sure, and it will make all the problems that we struggle with already only worse.”

Vettel’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc was equally unimpressed with the new rubber.

“We struggled quite a bit, so I don’t know how it’s like for the other guys in the paddock, but we struggled, and balance-wise it was even more difficult for us so not great,” Leclerc added.

“We always want more things with these tyres, but with the speeds we are going, it’s not an easy task to do. But considering the new tyres, I would rather stay on the old ones.”

HAMILTON LEADS FRESH CRITICISM

Lewis Hamilton leads fresh criticism against Pirelli’s new-spec 2021 F1 tyres after all teams and drivers got a first proper taste of the new compounds during Friday practice in Bahrain.

Lewis Hamilton has criticised Pirelli’s Formula 1 development, branding their new 2021-spec tyres “quite a bit worse” despite working on their latest compounds for two years.

All teams and drivers sampled Pirelli’s new range of 2021 compounds across both practice sessions for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday, following on from a previous test of various prototypes in Portugal last month.

Hamilton was left unimpressed with his first proper taste of the revised selections which have been homologated for next season by the FIA and feels that F1 should stick with running the 2019 tyres for a third successive season.

“Oh god… I’m trying my hardest not to say anything,” Hamilton replied when asked for his evaluation of the new 2021 compounds.

“What I want to say is weekend in, weekend out every year we’ve got a team here from Pirelli. I have the utmost respect for the guys that come here and load our tyres up, bring them here, and keep us safe. And they do an amazing job.

“We’ve had the same tyre for the last two years. At the end of 2019 they brought a new tyre, which they normally do. And it was quite a bit worse. So then they just said, ‘Okay, well now we just keep the tyre that we had from last year.’

“So they’ve had two years now to develop a better tyre. And we’ve arrived with a tyre that’s three kilos heavier. And it’s like a second worse per lap.

“And I know for the fans, that doesn’t really make any difference. From a driver point of view, we’re working with brands and partners who are at the forefront of technology, and elevating and moving forwards.

“If you’re going back after two years of development, I mean, I don’t know what’s happening. So it definitely doesn’t feel good out there. And it’s a worry.

“I prefer to just stay on these tyres. If that’s all they’ve got, and that’s the best they can do, which it clearly is, we’d be better just to stay with this tyre.”

After attending an FIA meeting last year as a representative of the Grand Prix Drivers Association to raise concerns over Pirelli’s tyre development, Hamilton hoped that progress would be made. Instead, he is worried the situation will only get worse when F1 switches to new, 18-inch wheels in 2022.

VETTEL AND HAMILTON – A LARGELY NEGATIVE REACTION WITH 2021 F1 TYRES VETTEL AND HAMILTON – A LARGELY NEGATIVE REACTION WITH 2021 F1 TYRES vettel hamilton 2021 tyres

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