F1 boss blasts 'embarrassing' Qatar GP tyre safety issues as FIA intervenes

07 October 2023 , 15:04

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Guenther Steiner feels the safety worries are not a good look for F1 (Image: Getty Images)

Guenther Steiner feels Formula 1 should be embarrassed about the safety problems that have affected this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix.

The FIA made changes to the Losail Circuit track ahead of the Sprint Shootout on Saturday after Pirelli raised concerns over the condition of the tyres used in practice the day before. 'Pyramid' kerbs were identified as the potential cause of the worrying damage to those compounds.

The track has been narrowed at turns 12 and 13 in the hope of reducing the damage done to the tyres. And, if after the Sprint the problem is still present, the governing body has said it will mandate that tyres cannot be used for more than 20 laps in the main Grand Prix and will force drivers to make at least three pit stops each.

Drivers were annoyed over the lack of consultation prior to the Shootout. But many, speaking after the session, said they were happy with the changes as it didn't affect their driving too much while also, hopefully, resolving the potential safety issue.

Haas team principal Steiner said it was "a concerning thing for the future" for such a problem to crop up unexpectedly in the middle of a race weekend. And he is worried about how it will reflect on the sport.

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"It shouldn't happen, this should not happen in Formula 1," he said. "But it has, and now we need to see how we get out of it. I think the good thing with this coming out, there are solutions for this race weekend but going forward, this shouldn't happen again.

"In the end, it is embarrassing because this is not where we should be. There was some signs already here two years ago, we had issues but they were different kerbs. I think they were supposed to develop some kerbs which don't damage the tyres but apparently the kerbs we have developed, they damage the tyres.

"I didn't speak with Pirelli yet to see what actually is happening, but I think if they found issues with the tyres that is what they need to do to make sure that we are not having a scenario like a few years ago, that you have got tyres going down which is never good."

FIA single seater director Nikolas Tombazis said he could sympathise with the drivers who were annoyed at the short-notice change. He told Sky Sports: "It is understandable. They drive the cars and they want to make sure they're safe and safety is absolutely our number one priority.

"We did consider modifying the kerbs but from the time we had last night, very late at night, to today, it would not have been possible. There were not one or two single kerbs, it was quite an extent – they would have had to have been filed-off and that's very hard concrete, that would not have been possible.

"So, on that basis, the next thing we got was to actually get the cars to stay a bit further away from the kerbs, which is what we've done by changing the white line."

Daniel Moxon