Pirelli is under scrutiny once again. As is often the case, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix became the center of controversy. It was on this atypical track in 2022 that the porpoising issue surfaced in all its severity, forcing the FIA to intervene to ensure driver safety. This past weekend, the race direction’s handling of yellow flags was highly questionable. Charles Leclerc had to wait an eternity for the stewards to make a decision regarding an infringement during Saturday’s third free practice session.
Additionally, Lando Norris had to abort his final Q1 attempt due to a warning about a slow-moving Alpine that posed no real threat to other drivers. However, what garnered the most attention after the race was the performance of the McLaren MCL38 with the DRS closed. This behavior, visible at high speeds, significantly improved the car’s aerodynamic efficiency and reduced drag for Piastri and Norris.
This “trick” became evident on a track like Baku, which is part speedway, part tight circuit. Although the Azerbaijani F1 track features a 2.2-kilometer straight that is taken at full throttle, the car setup must also account for the much slower middle section. The aerodynamic configuration adopted by F1 teams at this street circuit is historically a compromise between these two aspects. Thanks to this setup, the unique flex of the rear wing’s flap was revealed, showcasing its effectiveness.
Charles Leclerc was unable to complete an overtaking maneuver on the Australian driver. McLaren’s progress in terms of top speed compared to the MCL60 is impressive, especially considering that in the second half of last season, the British team’s cars struggled on medium-to-low downforce circuits. The DRS debate overshadowed George Russell’s direct criticism of Pirelli. It should be noted that the performance recorded last weekend was significantly better than in the previous year.
This anomaly compared to the general F1 trend so far can be explained by the fact that this year, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix organizers did not use high-pressure water treatment to clean the asphalt, which is usually reserved for city traffic. Without this process, the track was in poor condition during the early practice sessions. However, the explanation provided by the Mercedes driver after the race has little to do with the track conditions.
George Russell expressed his frustration about the performance difference between the Medium and Hard tires. While he was significantly off the pace of the leading drivers in the first part of the race, once he switched to the white-banded tires, his car became competitive again, even faster than those at the front. This dynamic puzzled the British driver, who stated: “Honestly, it’s quite frustrating to see such drastic changes,” the Briton said, adding:
“It’s not just Mercedes, but all the teams and drivers in F1. In one session you’re fast, in the next you’re not. And there’s only one thing that changes. I don’t think even the tire manufacturer understands what’s going on. We need a serious discussion about what’s happening because we have two thousand people working hard to deliver the fastest car. For twenty laps, we had a car that could fight for the win, and for the next twenty laps, we had a car that probably shouldn’t have been in the points, and the only difference was the tires.”
This sharp criticism of Pirelli, the Italian manufacturer that has been the sole tire supplier for F1 for many years, is particularly impactful given George Russell’s position as director of the GPDA. His words seem to reflect the frustration of many drivers, fed up with the unpredictable behavior of Pirelli’s compounds. No driver had ever spoken so harshly about the quality of the Italian brand’s products before. For this reason, this issue won’t go unnoticed, as our editorial team recently learned.
Such a severe attack on Pirelli has not escaped the attention of the FIA, and while the governing body has yet to respond, neither has the Milanese manufacturer. In addition to providing full support to every F1 team this season, Pirelli is also involved in challenging tests for next year’s tire compounds. They will soon begin tests on the products requested by the FIA for the new cars debuting in 2026. It will be an opportunity for both parties to discuss the issue raised by Mercedes driver and GPDA director George Russell.
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