Yas Marina Circuit: Pirelli have chosen finale race Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to launch their expanded 2018 F1 tyre range. It includes two extra compounds and colours for next year — the pink hypersoft and orange superhard.
It means there will be seven, rather than the current five, slick tyre compounds, all of which are a step softer than this year.
“We realised that, under the unique circumstances of this year, some of our 2017 compounds were perhaps conservative. The tyres we have created for 2018 addresses this, in line with the objective of having around two pit stops at most races,” said Pirelli’s Head of Car Racing, Mario Isola.
Brand new for 2018 is a tyre that sits below the ultrasoft: an even softer compound called hypersoft, which is coloured pink and is the softest F1 tyre Pirelli has ever made. This new compound will be suitable for circuits where maximum mechanical grip is required, such as Monaco.
Also new for 2018 is the ice blue colour of the hard compound. This frees up orange to be used on the new superhard compound, denoting it as the very hardest choice available in Pirelli’s range.
“However, the fundamental design concept of the tyres hasn’t changed next year, preserving the attributes that all drivers have appreciated this year and allowing them to push hard from the start to the finish of each stint. The new range consists of faster tyres that should lead to even harder and more spectacular racing in 2018,” added Isola.
