Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli has revealed it has homologated back-up compounds for its 2017 range.
The Italian manufacturer completed extensive testing during the second half of the F1 2016 season using modified versions of 2015 cars.
2017’s wider tyres are made of “new materials and a completely fresh design philosophy”, compared to this year’s compounds.
Because of this, a back-up for each of the five new dry compounds has been made and could be brought in during the course of the season.
These are “formulated using more traditional criteria compared to the new base compounds” but won’t appear for the first part of the championship.
According to Pirelli, the back-up tyres could be brought in to “respond to any particular requirements once the real performance levels of the 2017 cars have been identified”.
