Renault's Chevrier: Tyre Rules Help F1
The 2005 tyre regulations have improved Formula One and made Grands Prix more interesting, Renault's Head of Engine Operations Denis Chevrier believes
With drivers now having to run on a single set of tyres in both qualifying and the race, the last three Grands Prix have seen tyre wear become a factor in the the latter stages of the race, and a direct influence on the finishing order.
In yesterday's race, McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen retired on the final lap after leading the race, with Renault's Fernando Alonso becoming the lucky winner. The race before, however, in Monaco, saw Alonso drop from a podium finish to fourth place due to severe tyre wear.
And Chevrier says Formula One is all the better for it.
"What a fantastic race!" the Frenchman said. "We went into the Grand Prix knowing that we would be pushing up to the very last lap, and that this was the period of the race when the cars should be strong relative to our competition.
"In recent years, we had become used to seeing races decided by two-thirds distance, and today, thanks to the new tyre rules, it was the complete reverse - Fernando put pressure on Raikkonen all the way through the final stint, and it paid off.
"From the outside, it was a fantastic spectacle - F1 as it should be!"
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