Dangerous take-off from Verstappen at over 300 km / h
Formula 1 tire manufacturer Pirelli has announced a quick clarification of the dramatic incidents involving world championship leader Max Verstappen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “We will not only examine the damaged tires under the microscope, but also complete them to get an idea of what it was,” said Pirelli sports director Mario Isola in Baku.
On Sunday, the broken left rear tire cost Verstappen the already believed victory at the Caspian Sea. Previously, Lance Stroll had blown the same tire on his Aston Martin. Both drivers crashed into the barrier at speeds of more than 300 km / h, but were uninjured. “It wasn't a puncture due to excessive wear,” said Isola. According to this, debris could be the cause of the problems. This is also supported by the fact that Mercedes noticed a cut in one of the tires of world champion Lewis Hamilton.
“We can't make any conclusions that close to the race,” said Isola, speaking of “a few clues, nothing more”. A result can only be obtained after an examination in the laboratory in Milan. The tires in question were already sent out on Monday so that a result could be presented in just under two weeks before the upcoming race in France.
“I cannot imagine that I drove over a part because I chose exactly the same line for several laps,” said Verstappen shortly after the end of the race. “Pirelli will of course say it was a foreign body, they always do.” In the end, Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez from Mexico won the Grand Prix ahead of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel in an Aston Martin.
