Time short for 2017 tyre testing - Pirelli

Pirelli has finally signed on the dotted line with the FIA, confirming it will definitely stay as F1’s official supplier in 2017 and beyond.

The Italian marque on Saturday marked the occasion by revealing what next year’s wider, bigger and faster tyres will look like on an F1 show car in the Monaco paddock.

"This is the first version," racing manager Mario Isola said.

The next step for the much bigger and more aggressive-looking tyres will be test action in August with 2015 cars modified to simulate 2017 levels of downforce produced by Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes.

"We have to do a concentrated test plan, because we have to see the final version (of tyres) by the end of November or December," Isola is quoted by Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

"We do not have much time.

"The new tyres and cars will be between 4 and 5 seconds per lap faster," he revealed.