Having helped to set the fastest-ever lap of Albert Park during qualifying last year, Pirelli has a tough act to follow in 2012. But in its second season of Formula One, the Italian firm has placed the emphasis even more firmly on race strategy by reducing the performance gap between the compounds and extending the window of peak performance on every tyre. In Australia this weekend, the P Zero White medium tyre has been nominated together with the P Zero Yellow soft and the difference between them is expected to be in the region of six-tenths of a second per lap.
Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery: Last year, we set the standard high by helping to ensure a season with the most overtaking in the history of Formula One, but this year we aim to make the spectacle even better. In general, our tyres are going to be less conservative, as can be seen from the choices we have nominated for the first three grands prix of the year. But the teams have a better idea of what to expect from us in 2012, and after nearly 50,000 kilometres of pre-season testing, we are sure they will already have a pretty good handle on the characteristics of the tyres and possible strategies. What we have aimed to do this year with the tyres is to give them more options, which of course makes the tyres more of a talking point. The drivers and cars will always be the stars of the show, but wed like, once more, to bring the tyres more to the forefront. The teams asked us to challenge them this year, and naturally our aim is not to disappoint them. So were looking forward to another great race in Australia, which is always a fantastic place to get the season underway, thanks to its wonderful atmosphere and warm welcome.
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