Pirelli has nominated the super-soft, soft and medium compound tyres for F1’s first race on the Baku City Circuit.
The soft and medium tyres will be the mandatory choices for the race, meaning drivers will have to have both sets available and must use at least one of them.
F1’s official tyre supplier has assigned the super-soft tyre compound for qualifying. The ultra-soft and hard tyres will not be used.
The European Grand Prix will take place on a temporary street course in Azerbaijan’s capital. Under the 2016 regulations tyre choices for fly-away races such as this one must be nominated 14 weeks in advance compared to eight weeks for European rounds.
2016 tyre nominations so far
| Circuit | 2016 Q3 | 2016 Option | 2016 Prime | 2015 Option | 2015 Prime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | Soft | Medium |
| Bahrain | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | Soft | Medium |
| Shanghai | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | Soft | Medium |
| Sochi | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | Super-soft | Soft |
| Catalunya | TBA | TBA | TBA | Medium | Hard |
| Monte-Carlo | TBA | TBA | TBA | Super-soft | Soft |
| Montreal | Ultra-soft | Super-soft | Soft | Super-soft | Soft |
| Baku | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | No race | No race |
2016 F1 season
- Are tickets too dear? Crowds fell at some tracks in 2016
- F1’s TV audience decline stopped in 2016
- Brawn among key F1 hires announced by Liberty
- Has F1 hit ‘peak penalties’? Fewer sanctions in 2016
- Brundle reveals Monaco GP heart attack
Christopher Rehn (@chrischrill)
3rd March 2016, 15:47
So even Pirelli consider the European Grand Prix a non-European race? Interesting.
markp
3rd March 2016, 15:55
I thought the Ultra Soft was for street tracks but they will not use it here.
Strontium (@strontium)
3rd March 2016, 18:06
It depends on the track, not all street tracks have the same properties, just as permanent tracks don’t, so if it’s unsuitable then they cannot use it really.
However it does seem pointless if they have built a tyre which will only be used for one round a year.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
3rd March 2016, 16:12
I thought the cars that were in Q3 weren’t allowed to be altered before the start of the race? Here we have Super Soft tyres required for Q3, so doesn’t that mean those cars have to start the race with those same tyres on? I guess those in Q3 would have started with a soft tyre anyway, so I guess it doesn’t change a lot, except the front ten cars would all have to pit early, whereas the rest of the field have a choice as to which tyre to start with.
RaceProUK (@)
3rd March 2016, 16:33
That problem already exists, and has done since the whole ‘start on Q2 tyres’ rule was brought in; it’s just now it’ll actually be noticeable. But then again, changing tyres isn’t considered ‘modifying the car’, so it’s OK :)
Jerejj
3rd March 2016, 18:54
Ultra-soft should be used instead of Medium. I was expecting ultra-soft/supersoft/soft combination.
Patrick (@paeschli)
5th March 2016, 7:45
Yup, but I think it will be okay. They didn’t went full retard like they did on the first race at COTA.
sam3110 (@sam3110)
3rd March 2016, 19:47
I still dont get the conservative choices, I want a race with Ultra Soft, Soft, Hard to choose from!
@HoHum (@hohum)
4th March 2016, 2:39
Sorry but I just can’t muster any interest in a choice between a bad tyre, a terrible tyre, a super terrible tyre or an ultra terrible tyre. Call me when they introduce a good tyre, or even an okay tyre.