Grosjean unsure about new tyre blanket rules after testing spin

Haas F1 driver Romain Grosjean has questioned the new tyre blanket rules after many drivers experienced spins during today's testing in Barcelona. The new rules drop rear tyre temperatures to 80 degrees celsius, in order to help teams optimise tyre pressures.

Grosjean spun during today's test, with Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Nico Hulkenberg also experiencing spins throughout the course of the opening day. The lower tyre temperatures were to blame, along with the cold conditions at the circuit.

“I think we are three who spun on our out lap,” Grosjean told Motorsport.com. “We’ve got new tyre blanket temperatures, at 80°, and when the track is four degrees, it just doesn’t work, to be fair. In the afternoon it was still a struggle to get the first timed lap."

Haas is one of many teams looking to improve in 2019, and along with a new title sponsor with energy drinks company Rich Energy are confident of achieving good results this year. Haas team principal Gunther Steiner is confident that these tyre temperature issues will be quickly adapted to by the drivers.

“It caught (Grosjean) out, but like everything we get used to it, and find a way around it," said Steiner. "We’re unhappy for one or two races or one or two tests, and then we just get used to it and move on, because we have to. If Pirelli thinks that’s what we need to do, we need to learn not to be too complicated about everything anybody changes.”