Do Tire Tweeks Violate the Rules?

[cosworth151]

Article 12.6.3 of F1's technical regulations reads, "Tire specifications will be determined by the FIA no later than 1 September of the previous season. Once determined in this way, the specification of the tires will not be changed during the championship season without the agreement of all competing teams."

Article 12.5.2 states: "If in the opinion of the appointed tire supplier and FIA technical delegate, the nominated tire specification proves to be technically unsuitable, the stewards may authorize the use of additional tires to a different specification."

Pirelli has stated that it will change its tire specs by Montreal. The move will probably benefit teams struggling with the current skins (Red Bull, Mercedes) at the expense of others who have mastered them (Lotus, Ferrari).

The question is, does this violate the rules? Since there has been no safety questions about the current tires, it looks to me like it does.

[Alianora La Canta]

If that's so, Pirelli have violated the rules twice already this season, as they brought different tyres to Bahrain and Spain than the ones agreed initially. Since the Bahrain ones were for easily-justified reasons, nobody complained that time.

[cosworth151]

In those cases, they simply brought a different selection of the tires announced last fall, i.e. bringing a medium instead of a soft. They did not change the tires themselves. Today's soft, medium and so on are the same as their counterparts at the beginning of the season.

My understanding is that now they will change the actual specs of one or more of the various grades of tires. For example, a soft at Montreal & beyond will be a different tire than the softs from earlier races.

[F1fanaticBD]

Well Cossie that was my initial response when I heard Pirelli will be changing their tyres, because it seems not right as clearly some teams have the advantage while some don't. This cannot be a reason to change the tyre compound in the middle of the season.

[lkjohnson1950]

Pirelli's stated goal is for teams like Ferrari and Lotus to attempt a 2 stop strategy while teams like Merc and R/B go for 3 stoppers. They did not intend for teams to be making 4+ stops. That bit about the Technical Delegate and Pirelli agreeing the tires are not suitable pretty much leaves the door open for them to do as they please I think.

[Scott]

I don't like the tire tweaking mid-season.  If suddenly RBR completely dominates again, what are people going to look back and point it to?

I think a better solution is for Pirelli to bring more tires and relax the 'must use at least two compounds' rule.  Let he teams choose What tires they want to use, and maybe that means they use hards the whole race, but make it in 3 stops instead of 4. 

Changing the tire construction or compounds mid-season only opens them up to the sport being fixed theories.  A couple delaminations do not mean the tires are faulty.

[Scott]

To answer the question above, YES.  According to the FIA.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107487

[cosworth151]

An historic day! I actually agree with something the FIA did! 

[John S]

Ferrari International Assistance to the rescue. 

[Jericoke]

An historic day! I actually agree with something the FIA did! 

A sign of the apocalypse to be sure!

[lkjohnson1950]

Don't really care if it helps Ferrari, it helps Lotus. 

Also if it slows R/B and Seb so much the better!