Sebastian Vettel has conceded Pirelli did the right thing to alter the tyres for last weekend’s Spanish GP, following his own experience at the post-race test.
The Italian supplier reduced the tread on the compounds by a few millimetres in an effort to avoid a repeat of the blistering several teams suffered during pre-season at the same Barcelona circuit, which had been resurfaced just a few weeks prior.
One notable beneficiary was Mercedes as the issues with temperatures they have faced at the last three races were nowhere in sight and allowing Lewis Hamilton to secure a dominant victory.
Vettel then suggested the tyres were the sole reason for the Brackley outfit’s turnaround in performance and the problems Ferrari faced.
“It is hard to say how it would have been without the change but I think it probably impacted on us more than the others,” Vettel said after the race last Sunday.
“Overall it has been a decent weekend, we just need to understand for tyres what to do. I think we have these tyres again in Paul Ricard and Silverstone.”
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On Tuesday, however, his tone changed after the 30-year-old suffered from blistering himself when using the standard-spec tyres during the post-Grand Prix test.
“I think it’s pretty straightforward,” he said.
“Obviously you don’t get the chance to revisit this kind of decisions that are made [very often], but we did it today and the result is that if we had had the normal tyres on Sunday, it would have probably been worse, so it was the correct call.
“It was our fault for not having the same tyre wear or life as other people.”
His comments were greatly received by Pirelli’s motorsport chief Mario Isola who has claimed the company had been surprised by thoughts of bias towards Mercedes.
“Absolutely. I am very happy, I cannot hide that I am very happy! After a weekend like the last one, yes.”