Pirelli intends to hold discussions with the FIA and Formula 1 teams over the rule that contributed to limited running in second practice at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The anticipated arrival of precipitation ahead of FP2 saw scarce running throughout the hour until the final stages when the track had dried enough to use the slicks.
While it was presumed the conditions made teams reluctant to send their drivers out, it has since transpired that a specific rule regarding tyre compounds had a role.
Lewis Hamilton admitted it was a “shame we didn’t get that session” and alluded to a change in the regulations that was instrumental in the restricted laps completed.
“They have changed the tyre rule, so therefore no one goes out and runs on the intermediate, which just doesn’t make sense, really,” the Briton added. “But there you go.”
The regulation that Hamilton was alluding to was a refinement to the rulebook this season that ordered an increase in the wet weather compounds available each round.
For 2024, Pirelli brings one extra set of Intermediate and Wet compounds for each driver per weekend, meaning the allocation is increased to five Inters and three Wets.
But to ensure that expenses have not escalated at a time when the sport is attempting to cut costs, the rule that provided the teams a free set of Wet tyres was abolished.
Furthermore, this means that drivers who venture out when one of the first two practice sessions is announced wet aren’t compensated with an additional set of Inters.
With no incentive to run and the desire to save rubber in case the rain returns later in the weekend, several teams heeded against placing themselves at a disadvantage.
Pirelli’s Chief Engineer Simone Berra has revealed that the Italian manufacturer was not involved in the rule tweak for 2024 and will seek talks with the parties who did.
“This [rule change] was obviously voted by all the teams together with FIA and F1,” said Berra.
“Obviously nowadays a team doesn’t have to return one set of Intermediates after it is used in free practice, like it was last year. So especially at this circuit, where you have, let’s say, a high level of degradation, and considering that we could have some rain on Sunday, most of them decided to keep the five sets unused apart from RB and other teams that did an out and in-lap.
“It is something that we will discuss further with the FIA and with the teams, to try to find a way to make them run in practice.
“It is not our decision in the end, but in the next weeks it will be a topic for discussion.”
Berra believes that stipulating each driver has to return a single set of Intermediates when a session is deemed wet would encourage teams to run in similar conditions.
“They can keep the five sets from the start but, if a session is declared wet, then you have to return one set of intermediates,” he added.
“It then makes no sense not to use it and [instead] return a new set. So that will be a way to encourage them to run.”
George Russell said that he hopes “common sense prevails” and the FIA allow the teams to take a set of slicks into tomorrow’s final practice to promote more running.
“It’s such a shame for the fans here and people watching at home, and we have obviously have travelled three quarters of the way around the world to not do many laps it is pretty annoying, I hope the FIA allow all the teams to carry over a set of dry tyres into FP3 because ordinarily, in FP3, we don’t do many laps, just practicing for qualifying,” he explained.
“So that’d be great for us and the fans, so I hope common sense prevails there.
“And I hope we just find a solution for these kinds of conditions because it’s not the first time this has happened and it definitely won’t be the last time.”
