Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsPirelli

New Pirelli supersoft ‘crucial’ in Monaco

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery claims the new supersoft tyre will be “crucial” in the outcome of this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

Monaco sees the supersoft used for the first time this season, with the compound having been changed since last year. With the softest two tyre compounds being paired together, Hembery says Pirelli's approach will help increase the opportunities for overtaking around the streets of Monte Carlo.

“We're bringing our brand new supersoft tyre for the first time this year, together with the soft, as has been the case since we started our current Formula One era in 2011," said Hembery.

"Monaco has often been described as a circuit where overtaking is impossible, but we have seen in the past there how tyre strategy and degradation has often led to positions changing, including on-track overtaking.

"In particular, the way that drivers use the new supersoft tyre, with is notable performance advantage, will be crucial."

Pirelli says its new supersoft compound has a low working range which means it will warm up quickly, making the tyre "ideally suited to the sinuous streets".

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.