01/07/2013
NEWS STORY
BRDC president, Derek Warwick, has dismissed claims that the kerbing at Silverstone was to blame for the numerous, spectacular tyres failures during yesterday's Grand Prix.
Whilst much of the media points the finger at Pirelli, courtesy of numerous scaremongering headlines, some have suggested that the kerbing at the Northamptonshire track might have been at fault.
Not so, says former F1 racers Warwick, who is now president of the circuit's owner, the British Racing Drivers' Club.
"These kerbs have been in since 2009," he told Sky Sports. "We've had thousands and thousands of cars go over these kerbs and they have been absolutely fine.
"We've had them checked by the FIA and they comply completely," he added, admitting that at one stage he feared for the future of the event.
"We need to make sure it's a good race here at Silverstone in order to bring the crowds back for next year so to say I was panicking would be an under-statement.
"I think Bernie, the FIA and Pirelli are bringing the sport into disrepute," he continued, "and they need to have a serious look at themselves and change these tyres and not expect all the teams to agree. Take it out of the teams' hands and put safe tyres on these cars."
Despite previous failures this year, a number of teams who appear to be managing the 2013 tyres better, Lotus, Ferrari and Force India, have resisted calls to change the construction of the tyres. Warwick warns that it is time they looked at the bigger picture.
"The teams need to look at themselves," he said. "They made the decision not to bring a new tyre. I kind of blame Pirelli but they did their best to bring a new tyre to Silverstone and three teams voted against it."
"Pirelli and Formula One need to have a really good look at themselves and make sure that we have tyres that drivers can drive flat out all the time," he concluded.
Check out our British Grand Prix gallery, here.