Here we are. Very close to the start of the new season of Formula 1. On March 5 we start with the first green light of 2023, expected in Bahrain. It will be a new season for the Pirelli, with some major news coming to the front mixes.
The news
Indeed, this year the number of compounds that Pirelli can choose over the course of the season has risen to six because a new one has been created compound among the toughest ones. The compounds are numbered from zero to five, from the hardest to the softest, with the letter "C" meaning "compound". Let's discover them together.
Pirelli, space for the new compound
Compound 0
Last year's C1 became, in 2023, C0. It is the hardest compound in the range and is nominated for circuits which impose the heaviest loads on the tyres. It has been designed to offer maximum resistance to heat and extreme forces, and is capable of withstanding very long stints at the expense of high performance.
Compound 1
This new compound, introduced in 2023, is positioned between last year's C1 and C2. Building on the latter, the C1 was born to narrow the performance gap between what were previously the two hardest compounds in the range.
Compound 2
The C2 remains suitable for faster circuits, with high temperatures and abrasive asphalt. These harder compounds are sometimes also nominated for new circuits, as a conservative choice so as to verify the actual load to which the tires are subjected in real racing conditions.
Compound 3
This compound is extremely versatile and can therefore be adopted at times as the hardest, medium or softest choice of the three selected. Thanks to an excellent balance between performance and versatility, this compound adapts to many situations.
We move on to the softer ones
Compound 4
It is designed to perform well on low-severity circuits, where a fast enough warm-up is required to immediately reach maximum performance. This is another compound that is used extensively throughout the season.
Compound 5
They are the softest tires in the range, designed for slower circuits with low levels of wear and degradation where maximum mechanical rubber grip is required. Characteristics typical of street circuits but also of those where the asphalt is particularly smooth.
Pirelli prepares the departure
With these new compounds, Pirelli has already announced that in the first round of the season, in Bahrain, the compounds that the teams will be able to use will be the C1, C2 and C3. Different choice instead for theSaudi Arabia e Australia in which C2, C3 and C4 were chosen.
SOURCE: Pirelli F1 Media
