Pirelli defends high pressures at Spa

Pirelli has hit back at fierce criticism of its tyres this weekend at Spa.

Up and down the pitlane, drivers are complaining about severe degradation and mandatory high tyre pressures that Felipe Massa says are "ridiculous".

"The super soft is just terrible — after two laps it’s gone," said Lewis Hamilton.

Jenson Button agrees: "In my entire formula one career, I’ve not had to drive like this. If you push in the warmup lap they blister and overheat. It’s crazy."

And Massa added: "My six year old could drive faster than me on the formation lap."

Mario Isola, Pirelli’s F1 track chief, told Speed Week: "I don’t understand all the fuss.

"The drivers knew already in February that we would go to the high-speed tracks with these sorts of pressures."