Pirelli considers name changes for F1 tyres

Pirelli has admitted it could change the way its F1 tyres are named.

Currently, the Italian company supplies three out of six available compounds at each grand prix - ’hard’, ’medium’, ’soft’, ’supersoft’, ’ultrasoft’ or ’hypersoft’.

They are colour-coded, but some believe the naming system is too complicated.

"The FIA and FOM are asking us to use only three names for the compounds — hard, medium and soft. It’s possible that’s what we’ll do next year," Pirelli chief Mario Isola said in Monaco.

"The colour markings will be the same at all races even though the compounds will actually be different, because we can’t use the same tyres in Monaco, Silverstone and Suzuka," he added.

So instead of the convoluted names at present, the full compound range next year will simply be known as A, B, C, D and so on, and Pirelli will continue to release full technical details.

"Perhaps that will make it easier for fans to understand the situation with the tyres," said Isola.

"The decision has not been made yet, but we have said that we are ready to analyse the possibility. In principle it is possible. To do the colouring is not such a big problem."