11/12/2018
NEWS STORY
Pirelli has confirmed the tyre compounds to be used at the opening four rounds of the 2019 F1 season.
While the system has been somewhat simplified by doing away with the seven different colour banded tyres - hypersoft, ultrasoft, supersoft, soft, medium, hard and superhard - in favour of soft (red), medium (yellow) and hard (white), the system is somewhat complicated again by the fact that there are still five compounds available.
As result the compounds are ranged C1 - C5, with C5 being the softest available.
Even though the compound range has been reduced from seven to five, confusion continues, for under the new/revised system of hard, medium and soft, fans (and commentators) now have to deal with the fact - as shown below - that what is the hardest tyre in Australia, China and Azerbaijan, will be the medium in Bahrain, a situation that will become even more confusing once Pirelli starts missing a step in its tyre choices.
Furthermore, reducing the range from seven to five will make comparisons with the 2018 choice difficult, these already being a step softer than their 2017 counterparts, which in fact featured a range of five compounds.
As before, each driver must save one set of the softest of the three nominated compounds for Q3 and this set will then be returned for those who qualify in the top 10, but the remaining drivers will keep it for the race.
Each driver must have both race sets available for the grand prix.
The teams are free to choose the remaining 10 sets, making 13 sets in total for the weekend.
Selections for long-haul events have to be made 14 weeks in advance; for European races the deadline is 8 weeks in advance.
Confirmed Tyre Compounds
| Grand Prix | Soft | Medium | Hard |
| Australia | C4 | C3 | C2 |
| Bahrain | C3 | C2 | C1 |
| China | C4 | C3 | C2 |
| Azerbaijan | C4 | C3 | C2 |