Max Verstappen feels Formula 1 risked creating "chewing gum" tyres if the ban on tyre blankets for 2024 was agreed.
Tyre supplier Pirelli has been working on trying to ban tyre blankets for next season in a bid to reduce energy consumption at Grands Prix and improve sustainability.
However, at a recent meeting of the F1 Commission at the Belgian Grand Prix, the proposal was delayed by teams until 2025 at the earliest.
Drivers have spoken out about the dangers they perceive the banning of blankets could have, with Red Bull driver and two-time World Champion Verstappen fearing the move could create tyres like chewing gum.
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Verstappen's opposition
"I don't think we should head in that direction because it is extremely difficult," Verstappen told media including RacingNews365.
"People probably don't know how difficult it is to drive the car with a thousand horsepower out of the pits already, especially when the track is a bit slippery.
"It is not neccessary, I don't think it actually generates a lot of energy, the tyre blankets and I think an air conditioning unit generates more if you combine it across the whole paddock.
"With the tyres, it can probably be made to work, but then they need to drop the working range as once you get up to temparature, the tyres will be like chewing gum and the pressures will go through the roof.
"It will not make the racing better, and on an out-lap when you are struggling so much and another car comes with warm tyres, it will just look stupid.
"The racing sometimes out of the pits with having hot tyres is brilliant and I don't really see why we need to change that."
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