F1: Tire Situation 'Fundamentally Wrong,' Says Lauda

Formula 1

F1: Tire Situation ‘Fundamentally Wrong,’ Says Lauda

Triple World Champion and Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda is unhappy with the 2013 tires...

SPEED Staff / GMM | Posted March 19, 2013 GMM Newswire

Niki Lauda is a triple World Champion. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Niki Lauda has slammed the tire situation in Formula One, accusing Pirelli and the FIA of confusing the fans.

"The situation with the tires is absolutely stupid," the forthright triple World Champion, broadcaster and Mercedes team chairman and shareholder said.

"Artificially creating more and more pit stops is wrong," Lauda told German newspaper Bild.

"Pirelli can't really help it as they are only doing what the FIA ordered them to do, but 90 percent of the time no one understands what is happening in the races now."

Pole winner Sebastian Vettel finished the 2013 season opener third on Sunday, while Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen did one fewer pit stop and surprisingly won for Lotus from seventh on the grid.

Lauda said the current situation, with the tires more influential than ever before, is confusing for the fans.

"My advantage is that I can ask our (Mercedes) engineers. The fans cannot. But even our people are confused.

"When the tires are so soft, it's bad for Formula One. The fans don't understand if there are more than two pit stops. (For F1) it's a fundamentally wrong path."

Pirelli's Paul Hembery hit back: "Many fans have told us they think the racing is more exciting now."

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SPEED Staff / GMM

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