Pirelli introduce hypersoft and superhard tyres for 2018
Pirelli will introduce two new tyres for 2018 Formula 1 season, the ‘hypersoft’ and the ‘superhard’.
The introductions will swell the number of compounds available to the teams to nine.
According to F1’s tyre makers, all of their compounds will be a ‘step softer’ in 2018, ‘making these the fastest tyres in Formula 1 history’.
The hypersoft will be coloured pink after a poll was held by Pirelli on socal media while the superhard will be orange.
The hypersofts are scheduled to debut at next week’s tyre test in Abu Dhabi.
It’s not yet confirmed what colour Pirelli’s wet tyres, previously presented with a blue rim, will be in 2018.
“We realised that, under the unique circumstances of this year, some of our 2017 compounds were perhaps conservative,” said Pirelli’s Head of Car Racing, Mario Isola. “The tyres we have created for 2018 addresses this, in line with the objective of having around two pit stops at most races.
“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.”
Compounds and constructions have been redesigned for each tyre, in keeping with Pirelli’s philosophy of renewing the range every year since the Italian firm returned to Formula 1 in 2011.
There are new working ranges across the entire family as well, which together with the increased number of compounds, will allow tyre nominations that are more specifically suited to each race next year.
For Pirelli and the teams, this also means that there can be more flexibility and variation in the tyre choices, leading to extra opportunities when it comes to formulating creative race strategies.
Pirelli’s 2018 tyres
Superhard – orange
Hard – ice blue
Medium – white
Soft – yellow
Supersoft – red
Ultrasoft – purple
Hypersoft – pink
Intermediates
Wets
