Buzzin F1 - Formula One Blog

Many of the leading Formula One drivers are said to be unhappy with the decision to ban tyre warmers in 2009.

Michael Schumacher has now voiced his views on the ban after testing on slicks for the first time with Ferrari at Barcelona on Wednesday and said that any decision on the matter must be taken after ‘careful’ consideration.

The main concern with the drivers is that without the tyre warmers, the re-introduced slick tyres together with levels of downforce expected in 2009, will not provide enough grip when cold, which will lead to larger differences in speed with cars already up to tyre temperature and those on out-laps.

Schumacher said “I think they will have to rethink this approach, because everybody already has tyre blankets.  We don’t save anything other than make it more difficult for everybody [by taking them away].  He added after testing in Spain, that he had really enjoyed using slick tyres again and said “It was obviously interesting because they have lots of grip and they are very different, it was fun.  I quite like to drive these slicks.  Although obviously one subject is the tyre blankets that I think they have to think about it whether it is a good decision or not.”

He went on to say “You do have to think of the approach, if you want to use tyre blankets or not, because that can be crucial.  We have to decide and think very carefully if this is the right approach.”

There had been some controversy in Formula One after the problems Ferrari were having as their tyres did not perform well for the first few laps and worked well only when they were heated evenly.  The FIA rules clearly state that only a tyre blanket may be used to keep the tyres warm when the car is not running.  Tyre ovens, which can heat the tyre more evenly, are banned.  The Ferrari team have cleverly put a tyre blanket in a box and have been using it.  It apparently provides better heating than the traditional blanket by heating the rims too.  The FIA have allegedly decided that it is not a tyre oven and approved it.  The Ferrari team have been using this device since Monaco and have seen better qualifying performances.  Other teams have objected to the box and some of them were investigating building their own.