Pirelli: Tyre pressure limits “there for a reason”

Pirelli had previously warned F1 teams ahead of Monza that they cannot allow the pressures to drop below the prescribed minimum limit after cars leave the pits during the Italian GP.

Teams were supposed to be above the 19.5 PSI limit at the start of the race.

However, an investigation by the FIA showed that Hamilton's left-rear tyre was 0.3 PSI below that mark, with Rosberg's 1.1 PSI under.

"At the end of the day it's performance," said Hembery of the minimum tyre pressure settings. "It creates a problem for us in terms of potential integrity problems, but also it's a performance advantage. It's a whole package and it's there for a reason.

"If we're putting a margin into a situation, you can't have that taken out because you get into scenarios where it's tough on the front-left tyre.

"We knew it was going to be a one-stop race, so a high number of laps on the sets of tyres – so you've got to follow the plans."

Teams had been warned by a letter pre-Monza about the tyre pressure settings: "Just a reminder, to refresh people's minds," said Hembery.

When pushed on whether Pirelli had found other transgressions during the weekend, he replied: "Not really." Earlier on the grid, when asked by Sky's Martin Brundle if the teams were behaving on the subject, he had said: "Mainly."

Hamilton claims no advantage

However, race winner Hamilton claimed that the 0.3 measurement had "no effect" on his car.

"Formula 1 is about running to the maximum, and there are limits on lots of things," he said. "We run to the bare minimum, all the time it is above but as low as we can go. If it's 20, we'll be 20.1 or 20.001, whatever. It's what F1 is all about.

"For whatever reason 0.3, and if it is 0.3 it's 0.3, but at the end of the day that had no effect on the car. That small amount on a tyre doesn't do anything, it has be a much bigger amount, a half or one PSI to make a difference.

"Particularly if it's only on one tyre. If it was all the tyres, maybe you can argue it. It would be very much a shame [if his victory was taken away].

"Ultimately that's not the reason we won today, we won because we were the quickest."