Pirelli, Formula One's sole tyre supplier, will be bringing three tyre compounds to the Red Bull Ring in Austria for this weekend's F1 GP.
They are as follows:
P Zero Yellow soft – less grip, less wear (used for long-race stints)
This is one of the most frequently used tires in Pirelli's range, as it strikes a balance between performance and durability, with the accent on performance. It is still geared toward speed rather than long distances, but it remains capable of providing teams with a competitive advantage at the beginning of the race where cars are carrying a full fuel load, and at the end of the race where the fuel load is much lighter and the race effectively becomes a sprint. It is a high working-range compound.
P Zero Red supersoft – more grip, medium wear (used for shorter-race stints and for initial portion of qualifying)
This is the second softest tire in Pirelli's range, and it is ideal for tight and twisting circuits, especially in cold weather, when maximum grip is needed. The supersofts warm up rapidly, which has made it a stalwart choice for qualifying. But with increased grip comes increased degradation. It is a low working-range compound.
P Zero Purple ultrasoft – highest amount of grip, highest amount of wear (used for qualifying and select race situations)
This is the softest tire in Pirelli's range, with rapid warming and massive performance. It is best used on tight and twisting circuits that put a premium on mechanical grip. However, because it is so soft, it has a limited lifespan. It is a low working-range compound.
The Canadian Grand Prix on June 9-11 was the last time these three tyre compounds were packaged together. Austria marks the fifth grand prix for this tyre package, making it the most popular tyre lineup, by far, in 2017. This same package was used last year in Austria.
