Martin Brundle slams F1’s proposed rule to ban tyre warmers

A Formula 1 legend has added to the growing voices condemning a planned change that could cause pure carnage during races.

Martin Brundle slams proposed change

The voice of Formula 1 has hit out at a proposed rule change that would ban tyre warmers from the sport.

Martin Brundle weighed in on the proposal which comes in a bid to reduce electricity consumption. It would see tyre warmers banned from 2024 as the sport aims to become more environmentally friendly.

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Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli has reportedly been making preparations in anticipation of the rule change being brought in ahead of next season.

The FIA have attempted the initiative previously with attempts scrapped due to the technical complexities of trying to provide a product that can limit any potential issues.

During off-season testing after the 2022 season teams tested tyres at lower temperatures with drivers slamming the move. Haas driver Kevin Magnussen labelled it “dangerous” and said officials “don’t understand” the difficulties of driving on cold tyres.

Now Brundle has added to the voices calling out the proposed change.

“[It] doesn’t make sense for F1 to ban tyre heaters,” he wrote.

“Cars will get crashed negating any cost savings [and] efficiencies. Drivers/marshals at higher risk. The most expensive and inefficient way of heating racing tyres during testing, practice, qualifying and racing has to be using an F1 car.”

Martin Brundle hates the proposed change. (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)

Back-to-back Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, following testing in 2022, said if the rule change went ahead the races would be marred with crashes.

“It was not enjoyable,” 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.”

Pirelli are in the process of developing a tyre that doesn’t require pre-warming with a test set to be run following the British Grand Prix.

If the tyre company and the FIA are happy following this test, it’s reported the changes will then be put to F1 teams for a vote.

Cold tyres will produce F1 carnage. AFP PHOTO/SERGIO PEREZ Pic. Afp

“Silverstone is one of the races where we have two days of testing after the race. And the idea is that after Silverstone, we will analyse the data, and we will analyse the situation together with the teams, the FIA and F1,” Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola told Motorsport.com.

“Then we will decide if we can achieve the target for 2024 or if it is necessary to postpone it.”

In newly published regulations, motor racing’s governing body said that the vote would have to be taken no later than July 31.

The rules added: “For the regulation change to be adopted successfully, the FIA, F1 and a simple majority of competitors (5 out of 10) will all have to vote in favour.”

That means that even if the test is successful and the FIA are happy with where things stand, Formula 1 teams can stop the change by voting against it.

If recent testing and driver comments are anything to go by, the tyre blanket ban being implemented for 2024 looks a longshot.

Originally published as Martin Brundle slams F1’s proposed rule to ban tyre warmers