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Force India will oppose any move to alter Pirelli's existing 2013 tyres. It has emerged in the Monaco paddock that, following the controversial reaction to its planned significant changes for Canada and beyond, the Italian supplier now intends only to tweak the rear tyres.
Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said the change would be only to the steel lining underneath the tread, which was overheating and causing delaminations. Pirelli wants to revert to the kevlar lining of 2012. "This would not change the shape of the tyre, so the teams would not have to change their aerodynamics," said Paul Hembery.
Correspondent Michael Schmidt, however, thinks the change could alter slightly the behaviour of the tyre, because temperatures would drop by up to ten degrees and reduce graining. But motor sport director Hembery insists: "This change would not punish those who are already doing well with these tyres."
Nevertheless, Pirelli will struggle to get the change through. "We will not agree to any change," said Force India's sporting director Otmar Szafnauer. Pirelli needs unanimity, and so nothing is going to change," he promised.
"We built our car based on the specifications given to us by Pirelli in September 2012. Changing the steel ring for kevlar changes the dynamics of the tyre, which some teams might prefer. We don't see why Pirelli should intervene just because a few teams are having problems. They should change their cars instead," added Szafnauer.
He also does not sympathise with Pirelli wanting to make the change to stop rear tyre deliminations. "The tyres are safe," he said, "because when they are damaged they are still inflated. It just looks stupid, but we don't agree to the change just so Pirelli can have a better image." (GMM)
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