Pirelli pour cold water on F1 tyre debate amid Red Bull concern

Pirelli Director of Motorsport Mario Isola has yet to see glaring evidence proving Formula 1 teams are employing a water-cooling trick with tyres amid concerns raised by Red Bull.

F1’s latest technical controversy was brought to life at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix when reports emerged that Red Bull believed rival outfits used water to cool tyres.

The suggested method of injecting liquid via valves into the tyres prior to them being fitted to the car in a race caused Red Bull to ask the FIA to investigate.

The FIA responded by setting out to speak with teams and F1 tyre manufacturer Pirelli, with the later enterprise yet to see evidence of foul play.

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“I cannot see anything strange from the data we have,” said Isola (via Motorsport.com).

“I don’t have any evidence. “It’s up to the FIA now to decide what to do and to tell us if we can support, because at the end of the day the only thing we can do is to support them.

“If there is anything we can do to check, or to give them advice on a possible situation, we are here to support.

“I’m not aware of any issue, but I heard the story, and I have also tried to understand why it should be done, which now I have an idea. But for the rest, it’s all in the hands of the FIA.”

‘No comment’ from Red Bull over Pirelli F1 tyre controversy

Red Bull had struggled with race pace ahead of the Sao Paulo GP relative to rivals McLaren and Ferrari.

However, in the Sprint at Interlagos, Max Verstappen could keep pace with Red Bull’s rivals before going on to clinch a dramatic wet race victory from 17th on the grid last Sunday.

After the race, Red Bull boss Christian Horner was asked whether the team’s improved race pace compared to its rivals was a coincidence or linked to the FIA’s tyre probe.

“No comment,” came his reply.

Ferrari’s Team Principal Fred Vasseur, however, was more talkative on the matter, saying he doesn’t understand the theory which stemmed from the observation of moisture in wheel rims at the end of the Singapore GP.

“One of the assets of the team this year is to stay away from all the polemics,” Vasseur said.

“I don’t understand the theory, because I think we are all trying to remove humidity from everywhere, not to do something to the tyres.”

Isola explains the benefits of water cooling

Isola said that employing a water injection tactic is a simple measure for teams, but it has downsides in the form of high trye pressures.

“How to do that is very easy,” he said. “You have a valve – and you just put water inside.

“But how the system works is a different story. It’s basically a thermal effect: heat transfer between the tyre and the rim that should give more consistency or less degradation to the tyre, even if you have worse control of the pressure.

“Obviously, if you have a vapour steam inside the tyre you lose the control of the pressure because you have a pressure that is higher.”

The post-Sprint scrutineering report at Interlagos found all tyres on the grid were compliant with the regulations.

Isola explained there are clear Technical Directives in place barring any foul play with F1 tyres, but reiterated “evidence” is needed to uncover any breach of regulation.

“The TD came some years ago when there was a discussion on this,” he said.

“There was a discussion also on special gases where it was suggested some teams were changing the gas into the tyre to better control pressure.

“Then someone started to talk about moisture in the tyre, and why we should have more or less.

“We supply the tyres with dry air inside. We have a dryer connected to our system, and they get all the tyres with dry air, as in the regulations.

“In the technical directive, it’s written that any modification to this is forbidden, and it’s quite clear. But then you have to have a clear evidence if you have a situation like that.”

READ MORE – Red Bull ignites McLaren F1 cooling tyre controversy