Pirelli to change hard tyres from Spanish GP

Formula One supplier Pirelli will change the compound of its hard tyres from next month’s Spanish Grand Prix after evaluating performance data from the first four races of the season.

Motorsport director Paul Hembery said in a statement yesterday that the decision was taken in consultation with all 11 teams, some of whom have been complaining that the tyres are too unpredictable and do not last long enough.

“We took the decision to change the hard compound from Spain onwards, as we did in Barcelona two years ago when we also introduced a new hard tyre for the rest of the season,” he said.

“This latest version of the hard compound is much closer to the 2012 tyre, with the aim of giving the teams more opportunity to run a wider range of strategies in combination with the other compounds, which remain un-changed.”

Teams will be given an allocation of hard and medium tyres, the hardest in Pirelli’s range, to cope with the high-energy demands of the May 12 Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya.

For the subsequent race in Monaco, they will use soft and super-soft tyres, while Canada will see the use of medium and super-soft.