Vettel’s Abandon: Pirelli Rules Out Tire Failure
After investigation, Pirelli assures that no structural failure of the tire is to blame for the puncture that prematurely ended Sebastian Vettel's race during the last Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Italian manufacturer also does not rule out the possibility of a puncture caused by debris on the track.
In Abu Dhabi, Sebastian Vettel experienced his first retirement of the season due to a crash at the second corner, which the driver himself diagnosed as a puncture.
However, the visible damage, as soon as the driver returned to the pits and his focus on the damaged wheel support, suggested other explanatory circumstances. Thus, following the Grand Prix, Paul Hembery and the Red Bull driver went to the scene of the incident to study the various factors that could have played a role and to collect the remaining rubber debris on the track.
After analyzing these debris, the Italian manufacturer ensures today that no tire failure is at the origin of the incident: « We can confirm that no structural failure is the cause of Sebastian Vettel’s deflation in Abu Dhabi, explains Paul Hembery, director of Pirelli Motorsport. « This is a conclusion we have reached with Red Bull Racing following a detailed examination and analysis of the tire remains. However, track debris cannot be ruled out as a cause of damage produced on the tire, thus causing the said deflation. After carefully analyzing the condition of the track, there is no direct evidence, however, to be affirmative on this matter ».
