Pirelli reveals reason for Kvyat’s British GP F1 crash

Pirelli has revealed an overheating wheel rim was the cause of AlphaTauri Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat’s race-ending crash at last weekend’s British Grand Prix.

Kvyat’s race at Silverstone ended on Lap 12 in dramatic fashion when his rear-left tyre failed, causing the Russian to spin off into the barrier through the high-speed Maggots section.

Since its investigation, Pirelli has confirmed the tyre itself wasn’t to blame for the crash.

Pirelli's statement said: “A mechanical issue led to the inside of the wheel rim overheating, burning the bead of the tyre, So the bead was no longer able to seal the tyre onto the rim. This caused the deflation, with the tyre itself playing no part in the cause.”

Ahead of this weekend’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone, the FIA confirmed it is installing extra crash barriers where Kvyat crashed.

Reflecting on his accident from last weekend, Kvyat believed it was the biggest crash of his F1 career so far.

“I didn't really understand what happened,” Kvyat said. ”It was so weird and confusing incident, and it never happened before in my career you know that the tyre would give up in such a high-speed corner. So, I didn't know. The first thing I thought maybe there was some kind of kerb or grass I didn't know, but of course looking back at it, there was absolutely nothing I could have done.

“I think it was [the biggest crash of my career]. And, luckily, I hit the tyre barriers, not the solid wall, because I think a few metres and I have hit the solid wall, so that was also good to remind... you know, for me for my long car.

“In general, when I drive as long as you're slow, but when the walls come at you at that speed and you remember that we are actually traveling at a very, very high speed. So yeah.”