While I respect your views there, let me move onto the Hungary part. If the tires would have been fragile, there wouldn't have been entertainment in the race! From the start, Verstappen would have gone for controlling the pace by going slower all across the circuit and saving the electrical boost only for straight, instead of letting a gap develop for a safe pitstop for Hamilton . Hamilton couldn't have pushed Verstappen as he would have immediately destroyed his fragile tires and would have been vulnerable from the Ferraris behind (while in reality they didn't have pace, but in the fragile tire scenario, they would have stuck behind). So, Hamilton would have held his place, constantly complaining about the overheating tires. So, the result would be a procession of tire saving and a win for Verstappen.Phil wrote: ↑19 Aug 2020, 14:10I think you are seriously underestimating the level of thought that have gone in to these tires and the posters who have voiced their opinion in favor of them.Moore77 wrote: ↑19 Aug 2020, 09:46Many people think, having fast degrading tires is good as it allows for more pit stops and a lot of strategies at play. The one think people forget is, the more fragile the tires they bring, the more management drivers would do, making slower races. Every driver would want to extend the stints and hence, goes slower.
The tires are a necessity as a result of banning refueling and bringing in a strategic element. If you had more durable tires, you'd have no reason to pit. Even if you kept the rule of mandating to use two compounds, you'd end up with races like Socchi where Rosberg could come in on lap 1 and finish the race comfortably on the second set. The fragile tires have brought in a certain level of unpredictability that enhances the excitement and the strategic element. Yes, it increases the possibility that drivers could nurse them around the track to get them to the end, but that is a legitimate strategy that one could counter by i.e. going for more stops and running the tire more aggressively, hence create a bigger delta between tires and thus increase the probability of a successful overtake.
You may note that that is what Hamilton did last year at Hungary when battling Verstappen for the win. That would not have been possible if the tires had been more durable and the delta between tires and their level of wear smaller.
This is no different than the strategic elements of the refueling era when you'd have some cars opting for 2 stints, thus run heavier vs those running lighter but requiring faster stints to make up the losses in the pits. It's virtually the same thing.
I also don't see any issues with tires blowing up - beyond the obvious safety element. If drivers willingly take a risk by running too long on them (or running them with too low pressures that compromises the construction), well, that's part of the strategy. No much different than perhaps running an engine more aggressive for more power at the cost of an increased probability of failing.
Similarly, in Silverstone, Spa and Monza last year, Lewis wouldn't have managed to provide entertainment, if there would have been fragile tires as he couldn't have been sitting in DRS almost all race long. Neither could Verstappen would have provided that entertainment race in Monaco, if his fragile tires were getting badly affected in the wake of Hamilton's car and then he had to step back and maintain 2 to 3 second gap to nurse his tires.
The fundamental reason for simplification of front wing (and for 2022 changes), is to allow cars to run closer and that wouldn't be possible if there are fragile tires. It was fair ask to provide strong tires with a big cliff, which hasn't been possible. A big cliff, doesn't mean a tire failure. The moment there is a danger of a tire failure, drivers nurse the tires and don't take risk of pushing each other. With that goes, racing entertainment! Atleast with harder tires, you would see cars pushing each other and even if an ultimate pass doesn't happen, there is a nail biting tension for viewers. That would be pretty awesome!
If the tires are hard, but also degrade slowly, to the extent that after hard racing for 20 laps, when a driver goes for a tire change, he would come out with a second or 1.5 second pace difference, that would create enough racing. The more a set of tires get stretched, there has to be a slow wear that continues to slow the car, without necessary failing it with a blow out.