LuigiVampa

Perez reminds me a little of Vettel in the way he started out. Remember when everyone was calling Vettel crazy for causing multiple accidents. Perez is crashing out because he is driving super aggresive as opposed to Grosjean who is crashing out because he is doing something stupid.

Mark my words, I think Perez will turn into a top tier F1 driver. He has cajones.

the flyin' scotsman

Kimi will manage the race to perfection while Webbo and Perez take each other out.

Remember Button coming all the way from the back to win a few years ago......he should place well.

ltc

I would disagree.
I see almost no similarities between Perez and Vettel.
Perez will succeed in F1 simply due to sponsorship.

RajDatta

That was a one off with constantly changing conditions. Also, lets not forget, Button took Alonso out in that race while Alonso was leading. That was super crappy ( I was there and glad I left before the race ended). The race took around 5+ hrs to complete.

RajDatta

I compare him more to Grosjean than Vettel. Both are prone to cause damage. I could see Perez getting reprimanded at some point this yr.

multi21

I'm not buying it.... After it was revealed Pirelli and Mercedes conducted a secret 3 day tire test, they came out and said they would not be changing the compound of the tires for the Canadian GP like they said they would do before being discovered. Now they're saying that the compounds tested were for 2014? That's what they come up with after thinking about what to say for a whole week? Still doesn't change the fact they and Mercedes violated the sporting regs by using the 2013 car and their regular race drivers instead of the test drivers.


Pirelli's Barcelona test statement
31 May 2013

Pirelli: "Tyre tests did not favour any team"

Pirelli's Barcelona test statement

The full statement issued by Pirelli in response to the three-day test carried out with Mercedes in Barcelona:

Milan, 31 May 2013 - Pirelli, in development testing with teams carried out in 2013, has not favoured any teams and, as always, acted professionally, with transparency and in absolute good faith. The tyres used were not from the current championship but belonged to a range of products still being developed in view of an eventual renewal of the supply contract. Further, none of the tests were carried for the purpose of enhancing specific cars, but only to test tyre solutions for future championships. The use of the car utilized by Mercedes, in particular, was the result of direct communication between FIA and the team itself. Pirelli did not ask in any way that a 2013 car be used: not of Mercedes nor Fia nor the teams which, during the year, were offered the opportunity of participating in tests for the development of tyres for 2014. The tyres that will be tested by the teams in the free practice at the Montreal Grand Prix have never been used by the teams before. With regard to the new tyres, the problem of delamination has been solved by Pirelli's technicians exclusively through laboratory testing. Delamination, which only occurred on four occasions and always because of on-track detritus, has never put the drivers' safety at risk, but does risk harming Pirelli's image. This is why the company decided to intervene.

With regard to the rules which govern its conduct, the company has always respected the contractual limits which bind it to the FIA, teams and championship's organizers, and has always respected the principles of sporting loyalty.

Pirelli, however, feels the need to reaffirm the indisputable need to carry out tests for the development of tyres which are adequate and regulated by rules which are clear and shared by all the interested parties. The company confirms its availability, as communicated to the teams many times in the past, to organize tests for the development of tyres for 2014 with all the teams in the championship.

PIRELLI'S ANSWERS TO FIA

With regard to requests for information received from FIA, Pirelli promptly provided the answers needed to clarify what happened at the tests, as far as its own responsibilities went.

DEVELOPMENT TESTS FOR 2014 TYRES WERE OFFERED TO ALL: NO FAVOURTISM

The tests were conducted in observance of the contract between Pirelli and FIA, which gives the supplier the possibility of carrying out tests for the development of tyres with each team of up to 1,000 kilometres, without specifying the type of car to be used, nor sanctioning the simultaneous presence of all the teams for the running of the tests. In this regard, Pirelli has since 2010 made it clear that it is neither possible nor useful to carry out this type of test with all the teams simultaneously. In fact, this type of testing aimed at technological development and researching new solutions, involves many tyres of different types which must be tested with a single car at a time. Testing for championship specifications is different, as occurs in winter testing which require the participation of all the teams, so as to find the most satisfying solutions for all the cars in the competition. For this reason, Pirelli insists on the need for winter testing under conditions which are truly representative of the situations which will be met during the championship.

Already in March 2012, Pirelli sent an email to all the teams, FIA and FOM, inviting the teams to indicate their availability for testing for the development of tyres for 2013. Further, the company explained that it was necessary to conduct the tests with the teams' cars because it did not have a suitable one of its own (Pirelli has the use of an adapted 2010 Renault and, before that, a 2009 Toyota).

The invitation was subsequently repeated in various official contexts and repeated to some teams last March for the development of tyres for 2014.

THE TEST CONDUCTED IN BARCELONA WAS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TYRES FOR 2014 AND NOT FOR THE MODIFICATION OF 2013 SPECIFICATIONS

This test, as always, carried out with a single compound never used in a championship, regarded structures not in use in the current season and not destined to be used later during the 2013 season. The tyre tests were conducted “in the dark”, which means that the teams had no information on which specifications were being tested or about the goal of the testing; nor did they receive any type of information afterwards.

ltc

It's good to see Flavio is on the job.

RajDatta

Same here, I call it bs..

enduro911

There is so much wiggle room in the rules as evidenced by the press release that it's really quite scary. If you really want to be absurd about this try this on for size:

"None of the teams in Canada will have the tires that were used by Mercedes during the test...because we've thrown those out and brought back identical tires that have NOT BEEN USED BY ANY TEAM YET."

Taking that concept and putting it a bit more into reality for a second, what happens if Pirelli were testing essentially the exact same tire with Mercedes that was used at Monaco but for one inconsequential element? Effectively it's a free test. It also wouldn't hinder Pirelli from trying something radically different if another team were to test with them at a later point in the year, thus in my mind creating significant partiality toward Mercedes. Too much grey room...I don't like lawyers even though I come from a family full of them, but they have a purpose. Proper legislation is crucial for stuff like this and the FIA appears to have the $5 an hour guys scribbling this stuff down.

multi21

Does it make any sense to test a compound for 2014 after the 5th race of the year in 2013 (this test was after Barcelona and before Monaco) when Pirelli have been struggling with their compounds and construction design for 2013? Who can say they used a 2014 other than Pirelli? There were no FIA officials there to oversee the test. Who is to say they were limited to 1000km, a disinterested 3rd party was not there to oversee the test and make sure the rules were followed....

Isn't it ironic that in the 5 races before Monaco, Mercedes have qualified well, but went backwards due to tire degradation in the race, but in Monaco they actually stayed in front and ran longer than a lot of teams and actually put in fast laps of the race before their first pit stop? I know that Monaco is a different track, but if they don't have tires degradation this weekend in Canada, there is nothing you can say aside from Pirelli and Mercedes have compromised the 2013 championship season by violating the sporting regulations in a big way.

The FIA cannot let this go unchecked if they want to have any dignity left in overseeing the rules and regulations of what is the pinnacle of motorsport.

multi21

I'm sorry to continue to harp on this, but this story has more holes than the Red Bull Racing floor from last year.

Why would the Pirelli be testing a 2014 compound when they don't have a contract in place for 2014? BTW, all the teams need to agree on Pirelli as the tire supplier before they get a contract extension....

paradisenb

Pirelli's statement is total BS and CYA. Testing 2014 tires on a 2013 car? Come on. Who are they kidding. The cars will likely be worlds apart and why build or test tires for series for which they are not under contract to be the supplier. They now appear to be lairs as well as cheaters.

I think back to NR smug face at post qualifying interview and his comments in the post race interview. He knew what they did was wrong and tried to deflect attention away from what was brewing by praising the team for working so hard at the factory and bringing new upgrades to this race as if they were already in the works and had nothing to do with their illegal in-season testing.

Both Mercs should be disqualified from the Monaco results and all WCC points taken away. That would put the fear into other teams before pulling a stunt like this.

Mercedes has the speed. If they keep the tires under the car they will win. Nico looks like the guy to do it. LH has really played the roll of a good teammate this year. Did he make a good decision or what? I think he got lucky, but better to be lucky than good sometimes.

ltc

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/...ir-secret-test

Looks like Pirelli and the FIA are in the same boat

LuigiVampa

I see why you would make that comparison but where Grosjean is reckless I think Perez has guts.

RajDatta

What he did with Kimi was reckless, he stuck his car in a position where he had nowhere to go but into the wall. He thought Kimi would back off, which I am glad he didn't. I used to like Perez until he recently became a liability to other drivers.

I don't like drivers affecting other's championship. This could be the case for Kimi this yr if he loses the championship by just a few points, which would be no different than last yr, where Grosjean cost Alonso a WDC.