F1 News: Former Champion Calls For Huge Tyre Changes

A few more challenges in Formula 1 would help increase excitement.

1996 Formula 1 Champion Damon Hill wants to make the sport more exciting by making teams use all three tire compounds, given to them for each race by Pirelli. As per him, doing so would be a good thing to promote excitement in the sport. 

From a set of five tire compounds, Pirelli offers three compounds to the teams for each race depending on the characteristics of the track. During the race, drivers must use at least two of the three tire sets which ensures they make one pitstop, regardless of the extent of tire wear. 

To add some spice to the sport, demands have been made to make use of the third set of tires by including another pit stop in the race. So, with two pit stops, the teams would have to rethink and re-frame their strategies which, according to many, would bring back the dead excitement. 

Highlighting that teams are beginning to realize the importance of pit stops and adding to the notion, Hill told the F1 Nation Podcast:

"I think there is definitely an argument to say that if you are going to look for excitement and a little bit more of a challenge, then why not?

"I think it is a good idea.

"I have heard it put forward before, it would increase the number of pit stops so you get less of the one-stop factor.

"It's quite interesting that we have got to the stage where Max has built a gap in the last race we had in Belgium and Lewis built a gap enough to be able to come in for a new set of tyres and get the fastest lap and get a point - that's a bit of drama that at first was thought to be a gimmick but now teams are deciding it is important to have that.

"They want to have that scalp and so they come in and do the one-lap stop and that is a bit of drama at the end of the race.

"Having to use all three compounds would throw another challenge in there, so it is possibly a good thing."

Hill insists that the teams have got the third set of tires with them so why not use them anyway? During wet races, the drama has a high chance of intensifying which might look 'gimmicky' but he asks "Why not?". Hill added:

"Nobody likes to look foolish but the rain-affected races, the ones where you can't really predict what's going to happen, those are the ones that throw up the most drama.

"People come away not knowing themselves - that is entertaining.

"You have to be careful, you are throwing yourself open to the accusation of making unnecessary drama - just gimmicks - but I just think why not?

"They have got the tyres there anyway, so having to use all three tyres, that would mean if they were to go with a very Soft tyre, that would be almost impossible to use in the race for more than a couple of laps."

Speaking of wet laps, the current feeling about them isn't what you'd call positive. F1 drivers were wary of a wet Belgian GP before the race weekend due to the fatal crash this year at Spa involving F2 driver Dilano van 't Hoff. The FIA even tested 'rain guards' to stop the spray from causing visibility problems but failed to bring about immediate solutions. I'm not sure how much drama the teams would be willing to add in similar situations.