F1 drivers asked not to criticise Pirelli publicly

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery has revealed F1 drivers have been asked not to criticise Pirelli in public.

There was a meeting on Saturday at Monza which involved Pirelli, Bernie Ecclestone and a number of drivers in order to discuss the future direction of Pirelli's involvement following the fallout from the tyre failures at Spa. With Sebastian Vettel heavily criticising Pirelli after the Belgian Grand Prix, Hembery says the meeting was not a reaction to the last event.

"It was something we asked for back in June and it is really to find a way going forward if we are to stay in F1 to have a much better working relationship and collaboration between all parties in the sport," Hembery said. "We can’t go through to 2017 without a dramatic change in tyre widths, for example, with the current regulations saying we can’t test in any F1 car whatsoever.

"We also feel there needs to be better communication with the drivers. All parties need to agree on the objective and though you may not agree with the objective, but if the sport decides it is going in a direction then we all need to know we are looking at the same future."

Asked if drivers have been asked to not criticise Pirelli, Hembery replied: "They have been asked to do it in the right environment."

When asked if that meant not though the media, Hembery clarified: "In the right environment, which is in the team and with us.

"They should express their opinions in the right manner … Other things happen in the sport and they don’t offer an opinion. I think it just needs to be balanced."

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