F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Silverstone adds extra tyre barrier after Kvyat crash

Daniil Kvyat's high-speed crash in last weekend's British Grand Prix has prompted the FIA to add an extra layer of protection to the barrier on the outside of Becketts.

A puncture in the early part of last Sunday's race pitched Kvyat into a spin as the Russian entered the rapid Maggotts left-hander. The AlphaTauri violently hit the outside uncovered concrete wall but Kvyat fortunately emerged unscathed from the wreck.

The FIA has subsequently reinforced the area's safety by adding a tyre barrier in front of the wall ahead of this weekend's 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

Onboard footage shows Kvyat crash caused by puncture

"A tyre barrier approximately 36m long has been installed at the rear of the Turn 11 run-off area," said FIA race director Michael Masi.

Silverstone also added new kerbing on the exit of Becketts and the run-up to Chapel corner. Last weekend, many drivers ran on the left-side edge of the track when exiting Becketts, a practice that likely put extra strain on tyres as drivers transitioned from the grassy edge to the proper kerb at Chapel.

"To help the drivers adhere to track limits this weekend, at the request of the FIA, a 23 metre section of kerb with taper has been installed at the exit of turn 13 ahead of this weekend’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix," a Silverstone spokeswoman confirmed.

Pirelli observed many cuts in tyres after last weekend's race in which several tyre failures occurred. Renault's Esteban Ocon believes the cuts may have been caused by the edge of the track between Becketts and Chapel.

"There is now no kerb anymore [at Turn 13] which there was before, so now you run in the dirt and then you go on to the kerb and that could also damage the tyres," said Ocon, quoted by Motorsport.com.

"I don’t know if it came from the carbon debris or just the track being very hard with the tyres or the new cars running wider than I was used to in 2018. But we’ve seen more damage and more cuts to the tyres than we have ever seen."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.