In the round-up: Alexander Albon described the performance of Pirelli’s tyres last weekend as “painful” after Formula 1’s official tyre supplier increased the minimum front pressures to 27psi for the race.
In brief
Albon unimpressed with high tyre pressures
Albon said “struggling” was “the most diplomatic word to use” when describing how Pirelli’s tyres coped with the Shanghai International Circuit. “They obviously increased the Pirelli minimum tyre pressures again last night,” he told the official F1 channel. “The tyres last literally four corners out of the pit lane. You feel really good through two, three and then they’re gone again.”
The Williams driver said the increase in front tyre pressure, which Pirelli has previously imposed on safety grounds, forced them to increase their front wing angles during the race.
“It’s so high that it’s literally just tearing the tyre up. And ‘safety, safety’ but it’s painful. Anyway, that’s same for everyone.
“We’re putting so much flap in the car, normally you take out flap for a race car, but you’ve just got to keep it in and try and deal with with the oversteer.”
“Pretty clear” Magnussen to blame for collision – Tsunoda
Kevin Magnussen was given two penalty points on his licence for causing a collision with Yuki Tsunoda which ended the RB driver’s race. The pair tangled at turn six following the first restart.
“Car 20 [Magnussen] dived into the corner, braked late and collided with car 22 at the exit of the corner,” the stewards ruled. “We found that car 20 was predominantly to blame for the collision.”
Tsunoda said: “It’s pretty clear that he clips my rear and he just touch into me, so I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t have much space outside. It’s pretty clear.”
Magnussen is now on five penalty points for the current 12-month period.
Alpine fined after car knocks mechanic down
Alpine were fined €10,000 (£8,626) after one of their mechanics was knocked to the ground by Pierre Gasly’s car during a pit stop.
The stewards ruled Gasly was not at fault, and was incorrectly given the signal to leave after the team’s systems failed to detect the right-rear wheel had not been properly fitted. Gasly stopped the car immediately after the team realised its error and switched its gantry light back from green to red.
“We determined that the team was wholly responsible for what transpired,” the stewards ruled. “We accordingly imposed a fine of…
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