The tyres are expected to degrade much faster next weekend
After a mix of mostly 2 and 3-stop tyre strategies in the Australian Grand Prix, Pirelli have claimed that they believe some drivers will need to make up to 4 stops in Malaysia next weekend.
The cool temperatures in Melbourne reduced tyre wear, which led to Sergio Perez and Jarno Trulli needing only one stop. However, the unavoidable searing heat of Sepang is sure to put extra pressure on the Pirelli rubber.
Motorsport director at Pirelli Paul Hembery said:
"We were absolutely thrilled by our Grand Prix debut in Australia, but we're aware
that Malaysia should be a very different proposition, with higher temperatures and
increased degradation. We said all along that we would be seeing two to three pit
stops in Australia, but in Malaysia I think that figure is likely to increase to
three to four. They say that it's never a question of if it rains at Sepang but
when, so the performance of our wet tyres could be crucial this weekend and we're
certainly looking forward to seeing them out on track.
Malaysia will also see the introduction of a new version of the harder tyre, which will be given to the teams to test on Friday. Because of the steep learning curve everyone needs with the new rubber, two extra sets of slicks will also be supplied on Friday.
As with Melbourne, the soft (yellow markings) and the hard (silver) will be used next weekend.
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