Pirelli should have been firmer over F1 tyre changes - Whitmarsh
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh believes that Pirelli should have been firmer and demanded it be allowed to change its tyres earlier this season


Pirelli had hoped to revise its rears after the Spanish Grand Prix in the wake of a spate of delaminations early in the campaign.
However, its moves were blocked by Force India, Lotus and Ferrari because they feared it would affect their competitiveness.
But following a spate of blow outs at the British Grand Prix, those teams conceded that there were safety grounds for Pirelli to make changes.
Whitmarsh believes the way events panned out shows that Pirelli should have been tougher when it came to enforcing its belief that tyres needed to be improved.
"When you have made mistakes, and certainty we've made them over the years including this one, there is always a reluctance to admit them," explained Whitmarsh.
"There is always a fear of what the media will make it. But it was also clear to many that there were issues with the tyres.
"There was a reluctance to admit it - and teams will always lobby for their own competitive self-interest.
"As I said to Pirelli for quite a few weeks before Silverstone: 'You cannot listen to the teams on this one. You guys are the tyre experts; you have responsibility to give us safe tyres. You have to make the right call'.
"Pirelli got themselves a bit caught in the middle listening to the teams, especially those that didn't want anything to change."
Paul Hembery, Pirelli's motorsport director, agrees with Whitmarsh's view that his company could have pushed harder.
When asked if he felt Pirelli should have shouted more for changes when the delamination issue first came up, he said: "Probably.
"I think sometimes we have been too good citizens trying to do everything right, and every time we try and push something we get into trouble.
"We are only interested in doing our job; we are not interested in helping anyone else."
Whitmarsh thinks the fact that the grid order was relatively unchanged at Silverstone showed that teams' concern of a big fluctuation in form were unfounded - which is why Pirelli should have been allowed to make changes earlier.
"If you look at where people are now [after Germany] I don't think it has been greatly changed by this belt change, and I don't think it will be greatly changed by the construction change for Hungary.
"They will have a different shape, so there will be marginal winners and losers. It is an area that is difficult to have correlation with the wind tunnel, and that is why teams do a lot of work around the tyres at the circuit.
"I don't think anyone can accurately predict what will happen, but it will not reverse the grid or anything like that - unfortunately."

Kimi Raikkonen to drive in Silverstone's Formula 1 test
F1's pitlane ban: missing the point?

Latest news
The pioneering pair who brought a new glory era to an F1 heavyweight
With the team’s founder now retired and a new boss at the helm, change was coming to Brabham – change that would shape the future of Formula 1. In the third part of our four-part history of Brabham, DAMIEN SMITH examines the effect Bernie Ecclestone had on the team
The combination behind the Silverstone racing battles Hamilton called "F1 at its best"
OPINION: The late battling in the British Grand Prix wowed Formula 1 fans and surely represents the best racing action of the season so far. And there was a cocktail of factors that created the action, from which Carlos Sainz emerged as a popular new winner
How Ferrari’s Monaco headache became its Silverstone migraine
OPINION: Ferrari won the British Grand Prix with Carlos Sainz, but it ultimately cost Charles Leclerc a chance to make a bigger dent in Max Verstappen's title lead by leaving the Monegasque out on old tyres towards the end. Like Monaco, indecision over strategy proved to be the Scuderia's biggest issue - and if the team doesn't reflect, the headache can only intensify
The five factors behind Sainz winning a British GP he’d twice lost
Formula 1 has a newest race winner, in a grand prix the victor appeared to have lost twice, only to charge back to headline a sensational and dramatic British Grand Prix. From a massive start crash to a late sprint finish, here’s how five factors saw Carlos Sainz take his maiden grand prix win
Why there was no case to answer in Aston’s latest F1 copycat saga
The appearance of a revised Aston Martin in Spain caused controversy but PAT SYMONDS explains why the FIA investigation found the Silverstone team had no case to answer
Why it's Red Bull that really leads a three-way fight so far at Silverstone
After a slow start to Friday at Silverstone, all the Formula 1 teams had to effectively cram in a day’s worth of practice into one hour. But there was still plenty to learn and while Ferrari topped the times, a three-way battle is brewing ahead of the British Grand Prix
Why the future is bright for the British GP
It wasn’t so long ago the situation looked bleak at Silverstone with the future of the British Grand Prix under threat. But a transformation has seen it restored to one of the most important races on the Formula 1 calendar, with bigger and better to come
Could mixed fortunes for F1's leading Brits turn around at Silverstone?
For the first time in many years, none of the local racers starts among the favourites for the British Grand Prix. But George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris could have reasons for optimism