Pirelli say they are going to try and address the rubber ‘marbles’ issue which has been a feature of the last two races.
The higher degrading Pirelli tyres produce many more and, in some cases, larger marbles, which litter the track, leading to far less grip off the racing-line.
Some drivers, notably Paul di Resta, have complained that leading cars are flicking the pieces into the air, they are then striking the driver on the hands, causing some discomfort.
Paul Hembery, director of motorsport at Pirelli, says the situation has always been a feature of F1, but he recognised the need to reduce the waste rubber.
“We’re looking forward to another thrilling race in China, although we don’t want to disappoint anybody who says that we’ve made the races too exciting: it’s true that if you get up in the middle of the grand prix now, the chances are that you’ll miss something important!
“Once all the different strategies had played out, the last 10 laps in Sepang were absolutely thrilling – but you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs, or, in the case of Malaysia, rubber.
“The rubber ‘marbles’ on the track are a natural consequence of the increased degradation that has led to more exciting races: all that rubber has to go somewhere, just as it has always done in the past.
“Having said that, we’re here to serve the teams’ best interests and we’re looking at ways of reducing some of the deposits in the future. But that’s not going to change our fundamental philosophy: we want to give racing back to the racers.”
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