Pirelli is keeping a close eye on minimum tire pressures as F1 heads to Monza following two blowouts at the Belgian Grand Prix earlier this month. The tire manufacturer is looking to increase minimum tire pressures as part of a more stringent set of restrictions that aims to decrease the chances of a blowout, Motorsport.com reports.
Originally Pirelli wanted to raise minimum tire pressures by 5 psi for Monza, however sources now indicate an increase of 2 psi has been decided on. The adjustments also extend to camber and other suspension setting parameters that may have an affect on tire wear.
Simulations are still being conducted by Pirelli in order to find the optimal settings and tire pressures. Drivers had voiced concern about the 5 psi increase, with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton pointing out Monza is not nearly as hard on tires as Spa and drastic adjustments may not be entirely necessary.
“I feel comfortable coming here and running what we had before,” said Hamilton. “We had a very difficult corner, which is Eau Rouge, which takes a huge amount of g and pressure on the tyres, which I’m sure didn’t help. Here you don’t have that, whilst you have the long straights.
“In terms of putting the pressures up, I don’t personally think it’s the right way, but they might not do it anyway. I don’t think any of us have tried 5psi more in the tyres because they’re not designed to have 5psi more.”
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