10/12/2019
NEWS STORY
Fears that the lack of regulation changes next season could see a repeat of this year, were hardly helped when Pirelli revealed the tyre choices for the opening four races of the season.
At the Australian, Bahrain, Vietnam and Chinese Grands Prix, the same four compounds will be used, the C4 (soft), C3 medium and C2 (hard).
Selections for long-haul events have to be made 14 weeks in advance - hence news of the choices barely days after the 2019 FIA awards were presented - while for European races the deadline is 8 weeks in advance.
At each of the four races, driver must save one set of the softest of the three nominated compounds for Q3, this set will then be returned for those who qualify in the top 10. Though the remaining drivers will keep it for the race.
Each driver must have both race sets available for the grand prix, though the teams are free to choose the remaining 10 sets, making 13 sets in total for the weekend.
While Vietnam is a new addition to the calendar, last year Pirelli took the C3, C2 and C1 to Bahrain, while Australia and Bahrain, like next year, featured the C4, C3 and C2.