Pirelli to introduce fifth tyre compound for 2013?

Pirelli’s motor sport director Paul Hembery has hinted that the Italian tyre supplier could introduce a fifth tyre compound next season, amid plans to introduce a number of changes to the hugely popular and somewhat controversial tyres.

The Pirelli tyres have undeniably played a dominating factor in the outcome of the seven races already run in 2012, with the degradation levels fluctuating at each track. Pirelli already offer four tyre compounds throughout the duration of the year to the teams - hard, medium, soft and super-soft - along with the two Cinturato wet compounds. Paul Hembery believes that a fifth tyre compound could make it easier for Pirelli to select tyres which are more suited to the characteristics of each of the varying tracks on the calendar.

"We want to make some changes, probably structurally to the tyre and possibly to the compounds, maybe a qualifying tyre," Explained Paul Hembery to FM103.3 in Montreal. "Maybe even ask if we can have a few more compounds so that we can maybe adapt our show to each circuit a little bit better. Four compounds for 20 circuits is a tough challenge."

Former Formula 1 driver Jaime Alguersuari, who is now a test driver for Pirelli, was aware that a fifth tyre compound could be introduced in 2013. With the Spaniard still confident on making a return to the sport next season, he believes the introduction of a fifth compound would make him more attractive to a potential team for next season.

"It could be [an option]," Said Jaime Alguersuari. "Nothing has yet been confirmed because we still have so many things to test. We have already done one test and we have some good conclusions, but there are a lot of things to follow, a lot of things we must continue to work on. We will make our opinions for next year. And for me it’s great because it gives me the chance to know a product that no else knows. For me, that’s fantastic."

With some drivers split over whether the dominance of Pirelli’s tyres is good or bad for the sport, it’s undeniably spicing up the racing in 2012. With seven different winners in the first seven races of the season, a fifth tyre compound could make the racing even more exciting and unpredictable in 2013.

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