Formula One Management (FOM) - of which Bernie Ecclestone is chief executive - has issued a statement supporting Pirelli and blaming the F1 teams for tyre failures.
Following Pirelli's investigations in to the failures at Spa-Francorchamps, FOM took the unusual step of issuing a statement on the official Formula One website. The statement describes Pirelli as "a first class partner of Formula One" and says teams ignore recommendations from the tyre supplier "at their own risk".
Ecclestone is currently in the position of choosing between Pirelli and Michelin to be F1's tyre supplier from 2017 onwards.
The full statement can be read below:
"Pirelli has been a first class partner of Formula One during the five seasons in which it has been the Official Supplier of Tyres to the FIA Formula One World Championship and we continue to have full confidence in the safety, quality and suitability of its tyres.
"Within the constraints of safety considerations, which are always paramount, Formula One encourages Pirelli to provide tyre compounds with performance limitations because tyre degradation contributes to the challenge and entertainment of a Formula One race. When doing so, Pirelli provides strong guidance to competitors about any performance limitations of the tyres supplied. Competitors should heed Pirelli’s expert advice when setting their race strategy and tactics, and if they do not, it is at their own risk.
"We are entirely satisfied that Pirelli was not at fault for any tyre-related incidents during the 2015 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix.
"Pirelli has offered to provide to each car a single set of tyres to last for an entire Event. While we know that they would be very capable of it, a race with no pit stops would be less exciting.
"Thank you, Pirelli, for helping us to deliver excitement to Formula One fans!"
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