2018 Spanish Grand Prix - Catalunya, May 11-13

[siskue2005]

I am really looking for the next race. Mercedes Pirelli and Ferrari really look close but after this race my favs are Mercedes Pirelli again.

Corrected

I am really looking for the next race. Ferrari Pirelli and Merc really look close but except for 3 race my favs are Ferrari Pirelli again.

Now it is corrected.

[FrukostScones]

First reported on April 6th by Amus
https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/for ... ufflaeche/

Of course it helped Merc today.

Whether it was instigated by Merc or would have been done by Pirelli anyway as stated, is a different matter.

Anyway. Without the move it would have sure been closer. But safety first ; )

[dans79]

You have understood nothing of what I've said!

Given the nonsensical nature of your statements that's not surprising.

[LM10]

Mercedes has not had tyre problems in races this year. Or at least not significant ones. Their race pace in terms of graining and stable lapping was quite good, at times even minimum as good as the pace of Ferrari. Their problem was just one lap pace in Qualifying.

To think that their pace went from being slightly slower in race than Ferrari to utter domination in 2 weeks only because of having found the right setup is a bit too easy, if not ridiculous. Their engineers had told weeks ago that they simply weren't fast enough to match Ferrari, no matter of hitting the sweet spot of tyres.
Their upgrades for Barcelona made them a tenth faster (according to engineers via AMuS), same goes for Ferrari. So taking these factors in mind today's pace difference surely is not just up to finding right setup.

I don't want to heat things up anymore, but it's pretty obvious the new tyres helped Mercedes by far most. Don't know about RBR, but Ferrari clearly had big problems (that big that they needed to pit 2 times).
Most articles went in one direction: Mercedes would have a big advantage on these tyres. AMuS already reported during testing that it wasn't in favor of other teams that Pirelli was going to change the tyres. What's more I've not seen any blistering on Ferrari tyres in winter (there were pics of the tyres after long runs), neither did anyone from Ferrari tell such thing. So I wonder where this comes from?

Villeneuve's and Arrivabene's words also tell a similar story.

[iotar__]

- Tyres non story still going on? Reason: they didn't try to help Merc. Consequences: unknown but looking at top three, mid-field and one track sample - my guess is - not that big. Maybe they wanted to help Haas ?

- Boooring race. Hamilton fixed but Bottas developed tyre problems - annual mid season Mercedes tragedy.

- Grosjean - Magnussen basically "caused it", not literally but started chain of events, close to unavoidable, not even "typical first lap incident".
- FIA is of course is as consistent as ever. I like "off track wheels" part, clearly the reason for a penalty, were they just off track as Hamilton's in Barcelona '16 ? Verstappen - reprimand, Ocon - nothing, here: grid.

- Verstappen: causing collision, brake testing or double reprimand?

[jurinius]

- Boooring race. Hamilton fixed but Bottas developed tyre problems - annual mid season Mercedes tragedy.

Hamilton and Bottas had different races. Lewis at the front most of the time and Bottas behind a car or into the traffic, for sure tyre degradation experience wasn't equally comfortable for both drivers.

[Vettel165]

Well I will move on to Monaco now. After looking back it was the right call to pit Seb again, because the tyres wont lasted until the end. We had high deg as Seb said. Dont worry Ferrari fans things can quickly change to our favour, its a long year. Its not over. Really hope for a better race next time.

Forza.

[PlatinumZealot]

Well I will move on to Monaco now. After looking back it was the right call to pit Seb again, because the tyres wont lasted until the end. We had high deg as Seb said. Dont worry Ferrari fans things can quickly change to our favour, its a long year. Its not over. Really hope for a better race next time.

Forza.

That means the tyre changes actually helped Ferrari then.

[Vettel165]

[Mamba]

Last time I checked if your car ate through it's tyres it was your issue to fix and not the tyre supplier's. If there was a major issue with all teams it would be understandable to make a change, but two teams reporting severe blistering gets a change? Very suspect - especially if one of those teams dominate after a change. Thank goodness it is only three races!

[Just_a_fan]

Last time I checked if your car ate through it's tyres it was your issue to fix and not the tyre supplier's. If there was a major issue with all teams it would be understandable to make a change, but two teams reporting severe blistering gets a change? Very suspect - especially if one of those teams dominate after a change. Thank goodness it is only three races!

Hmm, interesting point.

In the race this weekend, only Ferrari had problems with the tyres such that they had to make a second pit stop. That suggests that the changes only affected them. It suggests that they have benefitted from the tyres the rest of the season so far. It suggests that Pirelli's tyres are otherwise favouring Ferrari. Very suspect - especially as they are the team that has dominated before the change.

[Tubas]

Well.. that went downhill quickly

[epo]

- Tyres non story still going on? Reason: they didn't try to help Merc. Consequences: unknown but looking at top three, mid-field and one track sample - my guess is - not that big. Maybe they wanted to help Haas ?

- Boooring race. Hamilton fixed but Bottas developed tyre problems - annual mid season Mercedes tragedy.

- Grosjean - Magnussen basically "caused it", not literally but started chain of events, close to unavoidable, not even "typical first lap incident".
- FIA is of course is as consistent as ever. I like "off track wheels" part, clearly the reason for a penalty, were they just off track as Hamilton's in Barcelona '16 ? Verstappen - reprimand, Ocon - nothing, here: grid.

- Verstappen: causing collision, brake testing or double reprimand?

Sigh

[Just_a_fan]

It wasn't a classic race so the thing to moan about is not the race but other stuff. Usual MO really.

[siskue2005]

Last time I checked if your car ate through it's tyres it was your issue to fix and not the tyre supplier's. If there was a major issue with all teams it would be understandable to make a change, but two teams reporting severe blistering gets a change? Very suspect - especially if one of those teams dominate after a change. Thank goodness it is only three races!

Hmm, interesting point.

In the race this weekend, only Ferrari had problems with the tyres such that they had to make a second pit stop. That suggests that the changes only affected them. It suggests that they have benefitted from the tyres the rest of the season so far. It suggests that Pirelli's tyres are otherwise favouring Ferrari. Very suspect - especially as they are the team that has dominated before the change.

Yes indeed ....this weekend shows that Ferrari are the ones dominating on other races and hence having pirelli tyres tailor made for them on those circuits.