Pirelli chairman Marco Tronchetti-Provera has hit back at Fernando Alonso’s criticism of the Italian marque’s Formula 1 tyres in 2013.

Spaniard Alonso, the highest paid and arguably one of the most highly rated and influential drivers on the grid, recently slammed the questionable “quality” of this year’s Pirellis.

The criticism came at an awkward time for Pirelli, who while having agreed with the teams and Bernie Ecclestone to a new deal beyond 2013, are still yet to be offered an actual dotted line to sign on by the governing FIA.

“I have to say that he was very click here for more