Lewis Hamilton has hit out the 'ridiculous business' of one-stop races in Formula 1 and has called for the sport’s official tyre supplier Pirelli to make their compounds a lot softer to facilitate the change.
In 2018 the Italian manufacturer redesigned its compounds to be a step softer after they discovered the 2017 tyres were too durable. This led to drivers not being able to push on the harder rubber and generate the temperature needed to keep the tyre in the correct operating window.
Throughout the 2018 campaign, thermal blistering has been a common problem throughout the field due to the tyre management drivers face during a race without pushing the tyre too hard too early.
Hamilton wants to see Pirelli drastically soften its compounds for 2019, suggesting three steps softer plus a thinner gauge to help prevent temperature build-up inside the carcass of the tyre to avoid blisters, would be a step in the right direction.
The championship leader feels if Pirelli could facilitate his idea, racing could be closer and drivers would be able to push harder without fear of reprisal of destroying their tyres.
"I really have got to keep pushing Pirelli because the tyres feel great here but this whole one-stop business is just ridiculous," said Hamilton.
"Next year they’ve got to go three steps softer, swing them a bit lower so we need to do at least two stops per race. It will make it more challenging and provide more grip.
"The thinner gauge, so you have less of the thermal blisters that we see, maybe we will be able to follow and see some more racing."
