The first session of the weekend saw multiple tyre failures that brought out the red flag and limited the amount of running for the team in free practice one. Given how similar the tyre failures were and that they all involved the left-rear tyre, fans turned to Pirelli for an answer. However, investigations show that Pirelli are not to blame.
The first tyre failure happened to Felipe Massa when he tyre simply slipping off of the rim. Shortly after returning to the garage and heading back on track, the same failure happened again. Originally, the team was unable to find any issues with the car that could cause this failure, but Pirelli said that their investigation proved that there was no puncture.
Williams later discovered that rims were being rubbed by the brake ducts, causing the rims to brake. The team had made some minor changes to their brake ducts so that they would be able to cope with the stress on the Shanghai International Circuit, which is highly demanding on the brakes.
The other tyre failure of the session was Kevin Magnussen’s left-rear tyre. It happened on the straight and he was able to limp back to the pits with some suspension damage. Originally, it was unclear whether a tyre failure or suspension failure was the cause of the issue, but the team was eager to investigate. Pirelli confirmed in their investigation that there was no puncture on the tyre.
The Renault F1 Team Technical Director, Nick Chester, was able to confirm that a suspension failure was the cause of the issue. “Kevin didn’t get a lot of running because of a rear suspension failure in FP1,” he explained. “We know the cause of the failure and will have modified components for tomorrow but of course it is disappointing for Kevin that he didn’t get more track time.”
Pirelli is not to blame for these tyre issues, which is a relief because there is no longer as much of a worry about defective tyres during the race. The race will take place this Sunday at the Shanghai International Circuit for round three of the 2016 Formula One season.
