Norris slates “dangerous” Pirelli tyres

McLaren driver Lando Norris has slated Pirelli’s tyres as “dangerous” following a puncture-hit Qatar Grand Prix.

Norris was one of four drivers to suffer an instantaneous failure during the race at the Losail International Circuit, along with Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas and Williams duo George Russell and Nicholas Latifi.

All four issues involved the left-tyre, with the suspicion being that high loads in tandem with aggressive kerbs was the cause which is now being investigated by Pirelli at its Milan headquarters.

Norris, however, was far from happy with what unfolded in Qatar.

“[You expect] Tyre wear but you don’t expect the tyre to blow up, especially not on the hard tyre,” said Norris.

“We weren’t even that far into the stint. It was like 20 laps or something. They should do more than 20 laps.

“Every track you look after the tyres because they wear but you don’t expect them to suddenly let go completely.

“Quite dangerous for a lot of people and it shouldn’t happen. If there’s a wall there then it could have been something much more dangerous.”

Put to Norris that given the loads exerted on the tyres incidents were bound to happen, according to Pirelli, if a car put in lap after lap, the Briton replied: “They should make the tyres better.

“For us as drivers it’s dangerous. We risk a lot every time. If you can’t drive a Formula 1 car around a circuit what can you do.

“I did like 20 laps, I didn’t even do a very long stint. Three laps, 25 laps, whatever, I should still be able to drive the circuit.”

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