Max Verstappen critical of Pirelli blowout explanation

Max Verstappen crashte in Bakoe na een klapband. — Photo: © LAT Images

Red Bull

Verstappen critical of Pirelli blowout explanation

Verstappen missed out on the chance to extend his championship lead two weeks ago

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Thursday 17 June 2021 14:05 Updated: 14:20

Max Verstappen has voiced his criticism of Pirelli's findings into his tyre failure at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix two weeks ago and urged the Italian tyre manufacturer to "speak out" on its shortcomings.

Verstappen missed out on the chance to extend his F1 championship lead over Lewis Hamilton when his rear-left tyre failed at the fastest part of the Baku City Circuit while leading with five laps remaining which followed Lance Stroll's incident earlier in the race.

Ahead of the French Grand Prix, a Pirelli statement suggested "there was no production or quality defect on any of the tyres; nor was there any sign of fatigue or delamination," whilst absolving Red Bull and Aston Martin of any blame.

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Asked if he was satisfied with the findings, Verstappen replied: "Personally not because for me, it was just a bit vague, what came out.

"The only thing I can say is from our side, the team did everything like it should have done.

"They followed all the guidelines with tyre pressures and such so there was nothing to be found there. I don't really get... for sure, we will go up on pressures for this weekend. I am 100 per cent sure we will.

"Probably, it has something to do with that, what happened in Baku, but it would also be nice to know if it was tyre related.

"Speak out, then it would be easier to understand the explanation that we have got so far because the team didn't do anything wrong."

Nothing Red Bull can do about incorrect limits

A technical directive has been issued to increase the tyre pressures ahead of this weekend's race at Paul Ricard to ensure there is no repeat of the issues experienced in Baku.

Verstappen, whose lead at the top remains at four points after Hamilton squandered the chance to retake the lead in Baku, said Pirelli should look at its own processes if his team had no part to play in the failure.

"Of course, they explained that they don't have measurement tools during the race but we gave them our tyre pressures and they were within the limits they set," the Dutchman added.

"If those limits are not correct, there is nothing we can do about it, we just follow what is possible within the rules.

"If that means we have to go up on pressures we will, everyone will go up on pressures.

"They say they didn't have the correct measurements but we gave it to them after the race and it was shown that we didn't do anything wrong and also Aston Martin didn't do anything wrong so you cannot put the blame on us.

"They have to look at themselves and we are here, of course, happy to help with everything but they already went up on pressures from Friday to Saturday so that means that something, maybe it wasn't enough.

"We will go up on pressures and hopefully that is enough."