Pirelli to supply hard and soft compounds for first four Formula One races

The hard tire will be the prime tire, whereas the soft will be the option. This decision has been made in accordance with the track characteristics in the Middle and Far East, which offer high grip and a wide variety of speeds and corners, as well as ambient and track temperatures that are likely to be high.

The hard tire offers an excellent balance between performance and durability in the tough conditions of the first four flyaway races. However, the soft tire will give extra speed at the expense of resistance, which will make for some fascinating strategies as the teams compete with their new cars for the first time. Pirelli’s aim is to have two pit stops at every race, helping to increase the spectacle.

Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery commented: “The valuable data that we’ve collected from both official and private testing has shown us that our nomination of hard and soft tires is the best way forward for both the drivers and the spectators, so we look forward now to a successful Grand Prix debut and a great show in the Middle and Far East over the next four races. We’ve enjoyed great collaboration with the teams so far, and with the nominated compounds for the next four races now known, I am sure that this will help to focus their development for the start of the season.”