The FIA authorizes Mercedes to replace the tires on Hamilton's car before the start
Derogation granted for safety reasons. Hamilton had revealed his set of Pirellis in Q2.
Mercedes obtained permission from the FIA to change Lewis Hamilton's tires before the start. As per the regulations, drivers qualified for Q3 are obliged to start with the tires used in the best lap in Q2.
Hamilton, not particularly brilliant on the Saturday of the European GP in Baku, even before the big mistake he made in Q3 had already messed up his compounds in Q2, flattening them. Mercedes promptly asked the FIA to be able to replace the Pirelli train which had been flattened for safety reasons before the start.. The sporting regulations in this regard state:
“Any tire damaged during Q2 will be inspected by the FIA technical delegate who will decide, at his absolute discretion, whether it can be changed or not and, if so, which tires it will need to be replaced with.”
The Federation therefore considered the reasons for Mercedes' request to be valid, authorizing the Anglo-German team to replace the tires before the start on Lewis' car. In any case, Hamilton will fit a used set of Pirellis with the same mileage as the replaced tyres. The Englishman still has the "advantage" of starting with tires that are not damaged due to flats.
Antonino Rendina
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