Pirelli looks set to simplify its naming system for its various dry tyre compounds for 2019 at the request of the FIA and Formula One Management (FOM).
Currently the sport's sole tyre supplier has seven dry compounds, each with their own colour; the Hypersoft, Ultrasoft, Supersoft, Soft, Medium, Hard and Superhard. Pirelli then selects three compounds for each race on the calendar depending on how aggressive the circuit is on the tyres.
However the system could appear confusing to casual fans, therefore the FIA and FOM has requested Pirelli simplify it with a recommendation that tyres are only referred to as the soft, medium and hard – Pirelli can then elect which tyre from its range will come under those names each weekend.
"We had a request from FOM and FIA to just call them Hard, Medium and Soft," explained Pirelli's F1 boss Mario Isola.
"With three colours, the same colours and same names for all the races, but obviously different compounds, because you cannot use the same compounds in Silverstone or Monaco."
Isola added that for those hardcore fans with a greater interest in the details, they would still reveal which compounds had been chosen at each race.
"On a second level we will have compound A, B, C, D, E, F or whatever, and we will tell you that for this race, the Hard is B, the Medium is D, and whatever.
"So for spectators it's probably more understandable, but you also have the possibility to go deeper in detail for technical information that we will continue to provide.
"It's an ongoing discussion, but we said we are available to evaluate this change."
Red Bull's Max Verstappen recently called for such a change, insisting fans don't care how soft a tyre really is.
"I would only like to see a soft and a hard tyre [at races]. Ultimately people do not have to know if it's ultrasoft or supersoft," said the Dutchman. "I think people do not care how soft the tyre really is"
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