FoxHound wrote:Pirelli is allowed to request teams to assist with its development programme using a current spec car, a clause stating as much is written into its commercial contract with Formula One.
Let's look at this in the right timeline - this will give a global view to the issue.
On the 13th May, Hembrey doesn't want change, as he emphatically states, it will hand the championship to RedBull.
"What do you want?" he said. "We were asked to provide two to three stops and replicate Canada [2010].
"I know some of you would like us to do a one stop race where tyres are not a factor, and you can go back to processional racing where the qualifying position is the end position, if that is what you want in racing.
"What do you want us to do? You tell us, we will do it."
"It is a bit bizarre - unless you all want us to give tyres to Red Bull to help them win the championship, which appears to be the case.
Source
On the 14th May, Hembrey knows full well the regs, he states them himself. He also states the sole reason for change is to "reduce pit stops" - key bit of information there.
Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery told AUTOSPORT: "
We never intended for there to be four-stop races, so we are going to make construction changes to the tyres.
"We will be taking some of the design of the 2013 tyres, but also some of the elements of the 2011 and 2012 products that served us so well during that period.
"We want to go back to having two or three stop races."
"They have basically been stressing everything far too much, and probably we underestimated the performance," he said.
"
We cannot test with the current cars, and all we have access to is a 2010 Renault that laps four or five seconds slower than the current F1 cars do on a Sunday. Source
Then on the same 14th of May, some kind soles pointed out this:
The queries focus on Article 12.6.3 of F1's technical regulations, which appears to prevent such modification to tyres unless there is unanimous support from the teams.
The rule states: "Tyre specifications will be determined by the FIA no later than 1 September of the previous season. Once determined in this way, the specification of the tyres will not be changed during the championship season without the agreement of all competing teams."
The only exception to the rule would be if there were genuine safety concerns that required an immediate change.
Hembrey on the same day said this:
"It's important to point out that these delaminations, which occur when the tread comes off, do not compromise the safety of the tyres."
Hembrey then on the same day contradicts himself regarding the effects of tyre changes:
"It has been amusing reading comments from some people suggesting that these changes are going to change the course of the world championship," he told AUTOSPORT. "That will not happen.
A statement countering this he made not 24 hours earlier.
20th May - The FIA confirm that the regs only allow tyre changes for safety reasons - somethign Hembrey has already stated is not an issue.
The FIA reject Pirelli's proposal to go back to last year's tyres - Another part of the rules, article 12.5.2, gives the FIA leeway to ask the tyre supplier to change the tyre specification if it proves to be "technically unsuitable", but the governing body does not consider this to apply in this case.
So there's nothing to change is there? So why is there still a test?
On the 24th Fernely says this:
Fernley said he understood Pirelli's desire to avoid further delaminations, but equally said it would be unfair to force through tweaks on safety grounds.
"It is more to do with making sure the image of Pirelli is protected - quite rightly going forward – because they don't want to see delaminating tyres," he said. "It is not a safety issue."
So he agrees,
no safety issue - it's a branding issue! Ok, so why still test?
Skip to the 26th May, after the 'secret test' has been uncovered - Hembrey:
"It's completely regular in that we are allowed to do 1000 kilometre of tyre testing with any team," he said.
"In the World Rally Championship contract it's exactly the same. We can do it with a representative car.
"We've done it before with another team and we've asked another team to do some work as well."
Source
Not the whole truth given was it? Ferrari tested with an old car and non current driver - as per the regs.
To back up what the FIA said:
"Within the contract Pirelli has with the FIA as single supplier, there is provision for them to carry out up to 1000km of testing with any team - provided every team is offered the opportunity to do so," said the statement.
"Pirelli and Mercedes-AMG were advised by the FIA that such a development test could be possible if carried out by Pirelli, as opposed to the team that would provide the car and driver, and that such tests would be conditional upon every team being given the same opportunity to test in order to ensure full sporting equity."
Source
Hembrey then states publicly that the test was basically for 2014:
Hembery insisted that most of the work at the test was on developments for 2014, with only a small element of it devoted to work on the tweaks being planned for the Canadian Grand Prix.
"In reality we were looking at next year's solutions and trying a variety of different [things]," he said.
"It was 90 per cent for next year. We only changed [our plans for 2013 work] at the last minute."
Why the tweak at all - there is no safety issue!
Why the last minute reason to change the test purpose? Was this test with Merc not already pre-planned to address the failures? No. The 2013 failures were not a huge issue remember, because Hembrey himself states it's not a safety issue and the FIA has already said there's no reason to change. So why the last minute change? Why the test at all?
You don't have to see you've stepped in crap to know, you can smell it, and this whole thing smells to high horses.
Don't be too keen to trust Hembreys words - as you can see, his words change depending on the situation. Called me old fashioned, but that's not how you build trust. How can anyone trust anything Pirelli do or say going forwards? That is the real safety issue.
