Pirelli says the deflations seen in Qatar were the result of the amount of time the tyres were run on the kerbs, at high speed and with considerable lateral and vertical loads. A late puncture saw Valtteri Bottas drop down the order subsequently retiring as a result of damage suffered by the original deflation. This meant the Finn was unable to make a late attack on the fastest lap which would have deprived Max Verstappen of the crucial point. Two laps after Bottas' retirement, Nicholas Latifi also suffered a puncture that resulted in a DNF leading to fears that other drivers might be similarly affected. Ongoing analysis that Pirelli is carrying out on the tyres of the cars that suffered...
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