Backlash prompts Pirelli tyre change

Pirelli originally intended to take medium and hard compounds to this year's Interlagos F1 race, prompting Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso to declare the selection "surprising" and Williams racer Felipe Massa to brand the decision "dangerous".

Following a meeting of F1's tyre working group, Pirelli has obtained unanimous agreement from teams to change its Brazil allocation to medium and soft.

Pirelli said the recent resurfacing of the Interlagos track - a specific issue raised by Massa in his criticism - had prompted the change.

Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery said: "We've always said that we would be open to any changes if they were required.

"After further technical analysis of the impact of the revised circuit surface, together with a risk assessment suggesting a low probability of compound overheating due to extreme track temperatures, we have made this change with the unanimous agreement of all 11 teams."