DAS system not the cause of punctures: "We didn't use it then"
General
- GPblog.com
After the punctures of Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton there were many questions and rumours about the cause of the punctures that both drivers of Mercedes had. So did the question of whether the problems were related to the DAS system of the team. However, Mercedes strategist James Vowles explained that the DAS system had no influence.
"The simple answer to that question is no, DAS didn't affect the punctures. Simply because we only used the system in the early stages of the race", explains Vowles in the Mercedes debrief. The team only used the innovative system in the early stages, when there were two safety cars on the track.
Other teams also problems
"In addition, Carlos Sainz has also had a puncture and it's clear they don't have a DAS system." The Spaniard of McLaren got a flat tire around the same period as Bottas and both drivers fell far back, even outside the points. Vowles sees that other teams also had problems with the tyres and therefore does not expect that DAS had any influence.
Bottas had been complaining about vibrations on his Mercedes for several laps before he got a flat tire. "Another team was complaining about vibrations on the car, the same problems Bottas had. What is clear is that we had worse problems with the car," said Vowles.