Felipe Massa Criticises Pirelli's Tyre Selection for Interlagos
Williams driver Felipe Massa has called Pirelli's choice of hard and medium tyres for the 2014 Brazilian Grand Prix 'unacceptable', saying the compounds may be too conservative for the newly resurfaced Interlagos circuit.
Felipe Massa has publicly criticised Pirelli's decision to supply the hardest compounds in its 2014 range for the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, warning that the choice could compromise both performance and safety if conditions are cool or damp.
Massa, who drives for Williams, took issue with Pirelli's conservative approach, arguing that Interlagos has never required such hard tyres. He suggested that the track could even support the softest compounds in the range, especially following the recent resurfacing. "It would even be possible to drive there with super-soft and soft, or if you’re conservative, maybe soft and medium," Massa said in comments reported by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.
The Brazilian Grand Prix has traditionally produced unpredictable weather, and the new asphalt laid for 2014 is expected to be less abrasive than the old surface. Massa argued that hard tyres could struggle to generate enough grip if the circuit is cold or damp, raising concerns about driver safety. "It could be cold, it could be damp, I think it could even be dangerous on the hard tyres. I don’t understand the decision," he said.
Drivers question conservative tyre choices
Massa's criticism follows a season in which drivers have repeatedly questioned Pirelli's compound selections. At the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi, Nico Rosberg completed almost the entire race distance on a single set of tyres, prompting complaints that the races have become too predictable and processional. Fernando Alonso also questioned the need for hard tyres at recent events, noting that the conservative choices have reduced strategic variety.
Pirelli defended its selections by citing historical precedent and the lack of data on the new surface. Paul Hembery, the company's motorsport director, said that hard tyres have traditionally been used at Interlagos but acknowledged that the new asphalt could justify a review. "Now there is new asphalt so we’ll check again. If there are technical reasons to go softer, we’ll talk about it," Hembery said.
No immediate change to tyre allocation
Despite Massa's direct discussions with Pirelli officials, there was no immediate indication that the tyre allocation for Brazil would be revised. Pirelli's process for changing compound selections after an announcement is complex and requires technical justification. The company maintained that driver feedback would be considered if further data from the resurfaced Interlagos circuit became available in time.
With the Brazilian Grand Prix scheduled for November, teams and drivers prepared to adapt their strategies to the available compounds. The debate over tyre selection added to ongoing scrutiny of Pirelli's role in shaping race outcomes during the 2014 Formula One season.
