Verstappen disputed claims that making tyre blankets illegal would strengthen the overcut pitstop strategy used in races, as in GT racing.
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Since the transition to 18-inch wheels was finalized, F1 has been exploring the possibility of outlawing tyre blankets, which was originally set to happen in 2021 before the COVID pandemic obligated the new car laws to be postponed to 2022. Back in 2019, the series voted against a total blanket ban on tyres for 2021, with the warmers being phased out gradually. Teams are currently allowed to use an optimum tyre warmer heat of 70 degrees Celsius this year, flat from 100 degrees Celsius the year before, with the maximum level lowering to 50 in 2023 before a complete ban in 2024.
Teams ran to the 50-degree setting during the 2023 Pirelli tyre test during the final half of FP2 at the US GP, which Verstappen claims “was not enjoyable.” The Red Bull Racing driver anticipates chaos on the track as a result of the rule change, when asked about it ahead of this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix. “Yes, it was not enjoyable, I drove on [tyres that were warmed to] 50 degrees, I think it was, and I almost spun in the pitlane already.
“Of course, I also had the hardest compound, but I think there’s a lot more to it. If we have the tyre blankets anyway, why don’t we just use them to the fullest because they’re there? You either go just full blankets or zero, not middle way because we have them already. We don’t need to buy new ones. Max Verstappen said of the Austin tyre test.
“I think we’re going to have a lot of crashes. That I know already compared to what we have at the moment. But yeah, it’s tough. Also, your tyre degradation is going to be completely different because your tyres are very cold. You are sliding around a lot in the first few laps. Your tyre pressures are going to go through the roof, so your tyres are going to degrade [the tyres] a lot more. And at the moment I don’t really enjoy but I mean, a lot of drivers say the same and we have to of course find a solution to that.
“Austin is still a track where you can easily switch on the tyres because of the high speed cornering. But if you go to like a track like a street circuit or Monaco, can imagine you on like half-half conditions. I think is going to take like half of the race before you have like temperature on your tyres.” expressed the 2022 World Champion.
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Verstappen claims that Friday’s extended FP2 in Mexico will feature a second 2023 Pirelli Formula One tyre test that will be “a nice drift show.” Verstappen also disputed claims that making tyre blankets illegal would strengthen the overcut pitstop strategy used in races, as is the case in GT racing. “You have a lot less power [in a GT car], I think with these [F1] cars they are very heavy as well. I mean, I’ve tried it and it’s just really almost impossible to drive.
“And I also still drive in my private time. I drive a GT3 car with no tyre blankets, but these cars are a lot more forgiving and it’s a lot easier to manage than these kind of [F1] cars, because if you go on power a little bit too much, with the power you have from the engine, I mean, it can be a big, big crash.” the Red Bull driver added.
