With the 2016 championship just over, Pirelli is already thinking to the coming F1 season. As the tyre nomination for long-haul events have to be made 15 weeks in advance, whereas for European races the deadline is nine weeks in advance, Pirelli announces the following three compounds for the first and second rounds of the 2017 Formula One season.
In AUSTRALIA*, to be held (March 24 – 26) on the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne:
P Zero Yellow soft
P Zero Red supersoft
P Zero Purple ultrasoft
These are the tyres that must be available (one of them to be used) at some point in the race:
One set of P Zero Yellow soft
One set of P Zero Red supersoft
There are the tyres assigned for Q3 in qualifying:
One set of P Zero Purple ultrasoft
In CHINA*, to be held (April 7 – 9) on the Shanghai circuit:
P Zero White medium
P Zero Yellow soft
P Zero Red supersoft
These are the tyres that must be available (one of them to be used) at some point in the race:
One set of P Zero White medium
One set of P Zero Yellow soft
There are the tyres assigned for Q3 in qualifying:
One set of P Zero Red supersoft
Following the regulations, each driver must save for Q3 one set of the softest of the three nominated compounds. This set will be given back to Pirelli after Q3 for those who qualify in the top 10, but the remaining drivers will keep it for the race.
The teams are free to choose the remaining 10 sets; making up 13 sets in total for the weekend.
2017 TYRES’ NEW FRAME
• The range has been completely transformed, with new sizes (305/670-13 at the front and 405/670-13 at the rear) as well as new profiles, constructions and compounds.
• The compounds in particular make use of entirely new materials and a completely fresh design philosophy.
• After a very positive testing programme with the new sizes Pirelli has decided to additionally homologate a back-up compound alongside each of the five new base compounds. These extra compounds are formulated using more traditional criteria compared to the new base compounds.
• For the first part of the championship, only the new-generation base compounds have been selected.
• The back-up compounds could be introduced later during the course of next season to respond to any particular requirements once the real performance levels of the 2017 cars have been identified.