Formula One drivers will have the choice of using Pirelli’s super-soft compound when the series returns to Mexico later this year.
The sport’s official tyre supplier provided the soft and medium compounds for last year’s race, and will bring the super-soft as well for the second grand prix at the revised Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The super-soft tyre will be mandatory for Q3 and drivers must retain one set of soft and one set of medium tyres for the race, at least one of which must be used.
Last year most drivers used two-stop strategies for the race, with the soft tyre overwhelmingly the preferred option for the opening stint of the race.
2016 tyre nominations
| 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 | Soft | Medium | Hard | Medium | Hard |
| Monte-Carlo | Ultra-soft | Super-soft | Soft | Super-soft | Soft |
| Montreal | Ultra-soft | Super-soft | Soft | Super-soft | Soft |
| Baku | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | No race | No race |
| Red Bull Ring | Ultra-soft | Super-soft | Soft | Super-soft | Soft |
| Silverstone | Soft | Medium | Hard | Medium | Hard |
| Hungaroring | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | Soft | Medium |
| Hockenheimring | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | No race | No race |
| Spa-Francorchamps | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | Soft | Medium |
| Monza | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | Soft | Medium |
| Singapore | Ultra-soft | Super-soft | Soft | Super-soft | Soft |
| Sepang | Soft | Medium | Hard | Soft | Medium |
| Suzuka | Soft | Medium | Hard | Soft | Medium |
| Circuit of the Americas | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | Soft | Medium |
| Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez | Super-soft | Soft | Medium | Soft | Medium |
Jerejj
14th July 2016, 18:19
I’m a little disappointed with this choice. IMO they should have chosen ultrasoft instead of medium as the medium compound proved to be a little too hard and conservative for this circuit last year.
F1 in Figures (@f1infigures)
14th July 2016, 19:20
True, but it also proved to be the best compound (many drivers couldn’t get heat into the soft tires), so it would have been a bit weird for Pirelli not to offer that tire. Possibly with US, SS and S none of the tires would heat up and the drivers would complain about terrible graining etc., so that wouldn’t be ideal. But indeed, last year’s race was incredibly boring, so a hyper-aggressive tire allocation might have been more interesting.
PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
14th July 2016, 18:49
Shame they’re not bringing the ultra soft to Hockenheim, seems very doable to me.
F1 in Figures (@f1infigures)
14th July 2016, 19:24
In 2014 they brought SS and S and the tire degradation was huge, so therefore I think they have gone a bit more conservative.