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Pirelli patience wearing out

MILAN, Italy - It is possible Formula 1 will have to embark on an 11th-hour search for an official tyre supplier to replace Pirelli for 2014.

The Italian tyremaker is expressing increasing frustration with its situation in Formula 1, just as its initial three-year contract with the sport is about to expire.

The latest salvo came in the form of more criticism after Pirelli announced its tyre compound selections for the next few races, with Italy's Autosprint wondering if the "conservative choice" was "strategic or simple prudence?"

'DOESN'T MAKE SENSE'

Lotus engineer Alan Permane was heavily critical: "It's unusual to take the same tyres to Hungary as to Bahrain and Silverstone. It absolutely doesn't make sense - they're too hard for that track."

Force India is another team that would have liked to maintain the status quo. Driver Adrian Sutil said: "I have had no major problems with the tyres. A lot of people are complaining but I'm not because it's a challenge that's the same for everyone.

"We all have the same tyres."

Pirelli's Paul Hembery, however, insisted to British broadcaster Sky that all the Italian marque was "trying to do (is) our job in quite difficult circumstances".

Hembery has become more vocally complaining of the lack of co-operation and support from the teams and on June 20 2013 Pirelli will in Paris face an International Automobile Federation tribunal inquiry into Mercedes' allegedly illegal Barcelona tyre test.

He admitted his bosses at Pirelli were unhappy with elements of its F1 foray: "We will see how things progress, how the mood changes . An easy reaction would be to say 'this is madness, get out' but we are a company that likes to provide solutions."

Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 F1 season – fresh reports every day.
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