An engineer checks the new Kevlar-enforced rear tires of McLaren Formula One drivers Sergio Perez of Mexico and Jenson Button of Britain in preparation for this weekend's German F1 Grand Prix at the Nuerburgring racing circuit Thursday. — Reuters NUERBURGRING, Germany — The Formula One championship goes to this weekend's German Grand Prix on a bankrupt circuit amid concern over tire safety and with three-time champion Sebastian Vettel seeking his first win on home soil. The race at the Nuerburgring comes a week after a chaotic British GP in which five cars suffered tire blowouts, including that of leader Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. Pirelli moved quickly to address the problem, and a different type of tires will be used for Sunday's race, hoping to address the problems and appease angry teams. The German GP, which alternates between Hockenheim and Nuerburgring, arrives at the latter in the Eifel hills with the storied circuit officially bankrupt. The only reason the race is taking place is because F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone decided to accept a smaller fee for the right to stage it. Hamilton won the previous F1 race at the Nuerburgring in 2011. The British driver is still winless since switching to Mercedes this season. Hamilton described the tire incidents in Silverstone as “unacceptable,” but the former world champion welcomed the reaction of Pirelli. “I am satisfied,” Hamilton said. “Everyone is in the same boat, but I'm glad action has been taken. “It's still a concern. I'm sure they've taken the right steps to make it safe.” In Germany, Pirelli will use a Kevlar belt — a fiber that is more resistant to punctures — instead of steel on its rear tires. From this month's Hungarian GP on July 28 onward, the Italian manufacturer will revert to the type of tires it used in 2012 combined with the current compounds from this season. “I'm confident the right decisions will be taken because safety is a very important factor,” said Mercedes' Nico Rosberg, who won in Silverstone. “(Pirelli) will have everything under control for the Nuerburgring.” Pirelli said the teams contributed to the tire failures at Silverstone by mounting the tires the wrong way around — putting the less resilient inner wall on the outer edge — and having their tire pressures too low, increasing friction. “Surprisingly, the Nuerburgring is one of the circuits that we have the least experience of, having only raced there once before in Formula One, but we're certain that we have chosen the correct compromise between performance and durability by bringing the medium and soft compounds,” Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said. While insisting that the steel-belted version is completely safe when used correctly, Hembery said the Kevlar-belted version is easier to manage — “we prefer to bring a less sophisticated tire.” Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who finished third in Silverstone, said he was sure there would be an improvement. Vettel has never won in Germany; in fact he hasn't won in Europe in 22 months. At Silverstone, Vettel retired when leading in the closing stages due to a gearbox breakdown. But he still leads the championship after eight of 19 races and has three wins this season. The German has 132 points but Alonso cut the gap in Britain and has 111. Vettel said he was more concerned with avoiding another technical breakdown than winning at home. Rosberg, who has won two of the past three races, said he wasn't that concerned with the choice of tires. — AP
