The two-day Pirelli tyre test set to start on this Tuesday at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace has been cancelled due to recent security concerns. McLaren was set to test the 2018 tyres for Pirelli in preparation for the 2018 season.
The decision to cancel the test comes after a series of four armed attacks against F1 personnel over the weekend, including Mercedes, the FIA, Sauber and Pirelli themselves. No one was injured in any of the attacks.
A statement from Pirelli reads:
“Following a robbery attempt, neutralized by Pirelli security, on a Pirelli van at the Interlagos circuit last Sunday – after a weekend where similar episodes occurred with other teams –it has been decided to cancel the tyre test planned on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 on the Brazilian circuit with McLaren. The decision, shared with McLaren, FIA and Formula 1, was made in the interest of the safety of the personnel, both McLaren’s and our own, who would have participated in the test.”
McLaren also released a similar statement, citing safety as a top concern:
“We have jointly decided with Pirelli to cancel this week’s tyre test at Interlagos. The safety of our people has always been our top priority, and, given recent events, we felt that it was an unnecessary risk to proceed.”
Meanwhile, the Autódromo José Carlos Pace circuit is up for sale. The venue is currently owned by the city of São Paulo, but a number of publicly owned venues are in the process of being sold as part of a plan to increase the quickly disappearing government funds.
The mayor Joao Doria expects that the sale of the circuit will also increase the safety in and around the circuit. There are currently three potential buyers for the circuit and the sale is excepted to be completed early next year.
