Share this article on LinkedIn Email

Pirelli has felt compelled to clear its name after conspiracy theories emerged in the wake of Mercedes' surprise performance slump in the Singapore Grand Prix.

The usually dominant Mercedes cars were off the pace in Singapore, and in the race Nico Rosberg finished a distant fourth while Lewis Hamilton retired.

In light of speculation Pirelli could have supplied Mercedes different tyres to negate its advantage last weekend, the Italian manufacturer has chosen to explain the procedure as to how each team receives its allocation of tyres over the course of a season.

Hamilton: Singapore was 'no fluke'

Pirelli states the destiny of the 1700 tyres taken to each race is mapped out long before they arrive at a circuit, and made in a specific production run solely at its factory in Izmit, Turkey.

Each tyre is fitted with a barcode supplied by the FIA and which is embedded into the structure of the tyre during the vulcanisation process, one which cannot be swapped, and which is traceable throughout a weekend.

The process of allocation that follows is entirely random and governed by the FIA, with Pirelli in no way involved.

Each team is assigned a Pirelli engineer who works exclusively with that team for the season, and who is only allowed to receive information relating specifically to that team.

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said: "Deciding which tyres are allocated to which teams, or when they are used, is a job taken care of entirely by the FIA once the tyres have left the factory.

"It is just another way that impartiality can be ensured among all the teams, which has always been a huge priority for us as exclusive tyre supplier.

"The way that our team engineers work also respects this confidentiality, which is constantly of paramount importance."

Post-race in Singapore, when Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff was asked about the conspiracy theories, he replied: "I need to be careful what I say... it crosses my mind.

"We had a situation in the DTM where the tyre was changed mid-season this year, and I didn't think it was possible.

"We've seen a lot of things, but I don't think Pirelli would do that."