Pirelli confirms tyre naming system for 2019
- Published on 24 Aug 2018 20:07
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- By: Fergal Walsh
Pirelli has confirmed that Formula 1 will just use the names hard, medium and soft when it comes to identifying next years tyres. This year, each of the seven dry compounds has a different name, which has led to confusion and complaints among fans.
The FIA asked Pirelli if it was possible to reform the naming system to make it easier to understand. From next year onwards, the hardest compound that's brought to an event, which may vary from weekend-to-weekend, will be referred to as the hard tyre, and so on.
Finer details like sidewall colours have not yet been confirmed, but Pirelli has researched if the system would work for next season. Mario Isola, Pirelli's head of motorsport, is happy with the results and believes that it will be a much better system for the sport.
"That is the plan," he said. "I can confirm that I made all the investigation within the company to understand if it is feasible, because obviously there is an implication with the production, logistics, how we manage the tyres, and marketing as well.
"I made an investigation with all the departments to make sure we're not doing something wrong. I confirmed that it's feasible. Obviously we need to make some work around it. The three names are clear – hard, medium and soft – but the three colours are still under discussion.
"It was a request coming from F1 and the FIA, and we made the necessary changes in order to achieve that for 2019. The next step is to define the colours, and to announce officially that we are going in that direction."
There will still be seven dry compounds that Pirelli will choose from - but come the race weekend, they will be referred to as the hard, medium, and soft compounds. Fans will still be informed of the "real" compound that is brought to the weekend.
"The other open points are that we need to give a name to the compounds to give you the information on which are the real compounds that we are using, and how we manage the tests, because at the tests all the compounds are available, because we need to understand how to paint the sidewalls at the test.
"During the pre-season test I can imagine that there will be some confusion! But hopefully we can fix it with races, where we have the three compounds. It is a complete change of approach compared to the past," Isola added.
Fergal Walsh
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Replies (10)
Login to replyf1dave
Posts: 782
Should name them starting with Curly, Larry, and Moe.
Olfacius
Posts: 31
Snap, Crackle & Pop?
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
This is a bad idea. I think its good to rename them to maybe simplify it just a bit, but then again it wouldnt have to be simplified had Pirelli not felt it necessary to give us so many compounds to begin with. Just name them something like Supersoft and supersoft+ or whatever to emphasis that these tyres are softer than Annie Lennox' voice.
KyalamiKid
Posts: 146
American owners... lets not have 7 different words for 7 different compounds. Let s just give different compounds different names every weekend, because that is not confusing at all...
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Disagree about 'muricans and overcomplicating things. Just look at their electorial system for reference on just how complicated they can make things...
sharky9000
Posts: 1
OK Liberty & Pirelli lets just start again.
Keep the pretty colors and use numbers where 1 is softest and 7 is hardest. Simple, oh you can count can't you.
Better still let Bridgestone, Michelin & Dunlop in to compete so that we can see who wants to really use Pirelli rubber.
Freguz
Posts: 160
This will be even more confusing me thinks. I’d like to know the true compound of each tyre, not just some generic words...
kngrthr
Posts: 203
lets dumb everything down as usual.
Bhurt
Posts: 320
It's mindboggling how people as dumb as the suits at the FIA can be allowed to run anything.
blade
Posts: 341
Bloody 'ell !!
Seriously?
Treat us with some respect. Simple answer is to move away from words to numbers. 1 is crazy soft, 7 is rock hard. I believe everyone around the world could buy into this. This feels like committee decision making, just ask the fans what they think is right, c'mon FIA !!!!!!