Formula 1's wet weather tyres have regressed - Kimi Raikkonen

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen believes Formula 1's wet-weather tyres have regressed over the last decade, after slating Pirelli's performance in Brazil

Formula 1's wet weather tyres have regressed - Kimi Raikkonen

Raikkonen crashed out in the treacherous wet conditions at Interlagos at the start of lap 20 of 71, catching standing water on the start-finish straight that pitched him into the wall.

The Finn claimed there was "zero" he could have done to prevent his accident, particularly as he feels Pirelli's wet rubber is not up to the standards of the Michelins he used at McLaren in the mid-2000s.

"These tyres are very vulnerable, very easy to aquaplane," said Raikkonen.

"Obviously it depends on the circuit, on many things, but if I'm comparing it to 10 years ago or 12 years ago, those tyres could handle this kind of water with no issues, no aquaplaning.

"The aquaplaning is the big issue. It looks like if you have a little bit of standing water there's zero grip."

Sauber's Marcus Ericsson crashed out eight laps before Raikkonen after aquaplaning into a barrier and coming to rest in the pit entry.

Though he has only experienced Pirellis in F1, the Swede agrees with Raikkonen that previous suppliers' wet tyres were superior.

"For some reason in the last couple of years, when there is standing water on tracks, we are struggling a lot to drive, whereas 10 years back people were driving in these conditions without a problem," said Ericsson.

"There is a lot of room for improvement on the wet tyres because in the corners they are good, but it's just on the straights when there is standing water we should be able to go through that.

"It was raining, but it wasn't torrential. We should be able to race without red flags and safety cars, we've done that in the past, but now it's not possible because of the aquaplaning on standing water.

"So there is a big challenge that they [Pirelli] need to sort out so we can go through standing water without drivers losing the car and becoming a passenger.

"You can be lucky, like Max [Verstappen, who caught a spin in the same place as Ericsson], and you keep it out of the wall.

"Or you can be unlucky like me, Kimi, Romain and [Felipe] Massa. We all crashed more or less in the same place, where it is pretty much not a corner, so for me that is the disappointing thing."

Romain Grosjean, who lost his Haas on the lap from the pits to the grid, described the full-wet tyres as "terrible".

"We need to get better tyres for the wet because losing the car in a straight line is something quite bad," he said.

"It shows the extremes are very poor tyres, there is no grip and you have to take a huge amount of risk."

shares
comments

Former McLaren F1 team doctor Aki HIntsa dies aged 58

Legendary BMW engineer Paul Rosche dies

How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side

How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
GP Racing

How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side

Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself

Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jonathan Noble

Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself

How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri

How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jake Boxall-Legge

How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri

What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight

What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Alex Kalinauckas

What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Alex Kalinauckas

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023

How Perez kept Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian GP surge at bay

How Perez kept Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian GP surge at bay

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jake Boxall-Legge

How Perez kept Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian GP surge at bay How Perez kept Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian GP surge at bay

The enormous job facing F1 for its Vegas gamble to pay off

The enormous job facing F1 for its Vegas gamble to pay off

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Las Vegas GP
GP Racing

The enormous job facing F1 for its Vegas gamble to pay off The enormous job facing F1 for its Vegas gamble to pay off

Testing times for Vasseur, but the true challenge at Ferrari is about to come

Testing times for Vasseur, but the true challenge at Ferrari is about to come

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jonathan Noble

Testing times for Vasseur, but the true challenge at Ferrari is about to come Testing times for Vasseur, but the true challenge at Ferrari is about to come