Pirelli have confirmed that they will run their new ‘test’ compound at the Spanish Grand Prix after the teams tested the new, harder compound at the Turkish GP a fortnight ago.
The tyre wasn’t tested as much as Pirelli had hoped due to the poor weather and limited running in Istanbul, but the tyre manufacturer is confident the tests they conducted with the Toyota TF109 chassis prove the tyres suitability.
The improved hard compound, identified by silver markings, is expected to last for between two and three laps longer than that used at previous races.
“We said from the start of the year that we would introduce evolutions of the tyres if we believed that they would benefit the sport and Barcelona marks the first occasion that we have done this,” said Pirelli motorsport director, Paul Hembery.
“The new tyre – which we have tested extensively – reduces degradation and improves tyre wear. It’s not a huge step over the original hard tyre but it does mean that there is a bigger gap between the soft and the hard tyre, which will definitely make things even more interesting on race day and give teams the opportunity to use more creative strategies.
“In Barcelona, based on the data we have seen in testing, we’re probably expecting around three pit stops per car. It takes a lot longer to enter and leave the pits in Barcelona than it did in Turkey, and this is another factor that will have a definite influence on strategy.”
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