Pirelli will continue to supply tires to F1 for another three years "as it has won the tender" for the '17-19 seasons, according to Ian Parkes of AUTOSPORT. The Italian manufacturer "had been in a head-to-head competition with Michelin" but F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone "has opted to keep faith with Pirelli." Pirelli has confirmed that "a commercial deal has been signed with Ecclestone, with the matter now simply needing to be finalised via the usual FIA processes." Prior to the Russian Grand Prix, Ecclestone "met and shook hands on the grid" with Pirelli Chair Marco Tronchetti Provera (AUTOSPORT, 10/11). REUTERS' Alan Baldwin wrote F1 drivers "expressed safety concerns on Saturday after energy-absorbing barriers ended up on top of Carlos Sainz's Toro Rosso when he crashed into them in final practice for the Russian Grand Prix." Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel said, "It was shocking to see he was so deep in the barriers and he was covered by them, too." The FIA said that "the incident would be examined, as always, to see if lessons could be learned but said the barriers had done their job in preventing serious injury" (REUTERS, 10/10).
