F1 to backtrack on decision that could have caused 'a lot of crashes'

F1 has decided to backtrack on its decision to go to 50 degrees Celsius tire temperatures for the 2023 season. The sport made the decision after the Pirelli tire test before the 2022 US GP, in which drivers struggled for grip and were at risk of crashing.

Tire blankets are set to be banned starting in 2024 and drivers will have to warm up their tires 'organically'. To prepare for this radical shift in philosophy, the sport decided to drop the tire temperatures from 100 degrees Celsius in 2021 to 70 degrees Celsius this year. They further aimed to drop them to 50 degrees Celsius in 2023.

However, after multiple drivers complained about the lack of grip on tires that were heated to 50 degrees Celsius, F1 decided to backtrack on its decision. They will likely go with 70 degrees Celsius tire temperatures in 2023.

F1 world champion Max Verstappen claimed that drivers are likely to crash if the tires are heated to only 50 degrees Celsius. He said:

“I think we're going to have a lot of crashes. That I know already compared to what we have at the moment. But yeah, it's tough. Also, your tyre degradation is going to be completely different because your tyres are very cold."

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2023 F1 tires might be a huge factor for Ferrari, claims Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz claims Pirelli's new tires for the 2023 F1 season might be a huge factor for Ferrari given the Italian team's high rate of degradation this year. The Spaniard claims he is excited to see what Pirelli has come up with for next season and is looking forward to seeing the changes in action.

Ferrari's main problem in its fight against Red Bull in 2022 has been the high rate of tire degradation its challenger – the F1-75 – suffers throughout the race. Pirelli plans on introducing a new tire next year – one that gives drivers less understeer, especially through low-speed corners.

Carlos Sainz said ahead of the 2022 US GP:

“We need to see what the tyre does to the balance of the car. This is a huge factor because I always say that the tyre is the only thing that touches the ground from a Formula 1 car and the thing that gives you the grip and then the feeling and the steering and everything.”

Fans of the Scuderia are hoping the historic team will be able to properly understand why their car eats up tires as much as it does in the coming months. Until then, however, Red Bull have the clear upper hand going into 2023.