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Pirelli gives new stint length advice for British GP

Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli has responded to the controversy surrounding Sebastian Vettel's tyre blowout at the Austrian Grand Prix by handing down a recommended maximum number of laps for each compound for the first time.

Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF16-H retired from the race when his rear tyre exploded

Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF16-H retired from the race when his rear tyre exploded

XPB Images

Pirelli show tyres
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF16-H leads team mate Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF16-H
Pirelli tyres in the paddock
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 W07 Hybrid
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF16-H
Kevin Magnussen, Renault Sport F1 Team RS16
Pirelli tyres

Vettel suffered a right rear tyre failure while leading at the Red Bull Ring last weekend, having tried to eke out a very long stint on supersofts.

While the tyre problem was put down to an external factor – either a kerb impact or a piece of debris – there was some intrigue about whether Ferrari had tried to push the distance of its rubber too far.

In a bid to provide clarity about the situation from now on, Pirelli has for the first time openly given all the teams a recommended maximum distance for each of the compounds.

In a statement Pirelli said: "Our advice is not exceed this number during the race."

The distances for the three compounds are 26 laps for the hard, 28 laps for the medium and 15 laps for the soft.

The hard compound's distance is less than the medium because drivers have experienced some graining on it, so its tyre life is not expected to be as long.

The recommended maximum distances are not in the regulations, so there will be no punishment for teams that exceed them.

It may also be that Pirelli does not feel the need to impose such advice at every race, but rather only at those events where high forces mean tyre life can be critical.

With the recommended distances in place, Pirelli's predicted tyre strategies for the British Grand Prix are:

Quickest

Two-stopper: two stints on soft of 12 laps each + one 28-lap stint on medium

Second quickest

Three-stopper: three stints on soft of 12 laps each + one 16-lap stint on medium

Third quickest

Two-stopper: one 12-lap stint on soft + one 14-lap stint on new soft + one 26-lap stint on hard

Slowest

Two-stopper: one stint on soft of 12 laps + two 20-lap stints on medium

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Edition

Australia