Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has opposed the proposal to ban tyre blankets for the 2024 season.
Tyre blankets have been utilised in F1 for some time and function to pre-heat the tyres before they are attached to the car.
Pirelli’s F1 tyres are extremely sensitive to temperature, which each compound having different operating windows.
But across its range, at low temperatures drivers are often seen struggling for grip and are even prone to spinning at extremely slow speeds as the tyres are unable to generate grip.
F1 has attempted to ban tyre blankets in the past, however the push has always failed to materialise.
The latest proposal is being touted for the 2024 F1 season, with a vote reportedly set to take place after the British Grand Prix this year – but Hamilton asserts that he wants the blankets to remain a part of the sport.
“I think it’s dangerous,” he said. “I’ve tested the no blankets, and there is going to be an incident at some stage. So, I think it is the wrong decision.
“You have to drive multiple laps to get the tyres to work.
“The whole argument is that taking away the blankets is going more sustainable and more green, but in actual fact we just burn more fuel to get the temperature into the tyres.
“The more concern is when you go out: you are skating around and it is very twitchy. If someone else is on tyres that are working, you can easily collide with them. So, it is a pointless exercise.”
Not every major racing series utilises tyre blankets – for example, teams in Formula 2 and the NTT IndyCar Series do not have them in their arsenal.
However, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has previously pointed out that those challengers “have a lot less power” and weigh less than F1 machinery.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz also hit out at the proposition of being rid of tyre blankets.
“I still don’t understand why F1 are moving away from blankets, because for me it makes no sense,” he said.
“You are burning more fuel, more tyres. Even on sustainability, I just don’t understand the philosophy. Also there are risks with these lower ride height cars.
“But it is a direction that F1, the FIA and Pirelli have decided to take, so we need to adapt I guess.”
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