FIA regulations on tyre options

The FIA regulations relating to tyre use for the 2012 season are identical to those of last year, giving the Formula One teams some continuity from the previous campaign.

At each race, the teams will need to use two of the four slick compounds manufactured by Pirelli (as well as intermediate and wet tyres in case of rain). Before the start of each race weekend, Pirelli will nominate two of the four slick compounds to put at the teams’ disposal; for instance the hard and the soft.

One of the two nominated compounds is known as the ‘prime’ tyre and this is the compound that is in theory best suited to the particular circuit characteristics. The second compound is called the ‘option’ tyre. The colour markings on each compound of Pirelli tyre make it easy to tell which is which.

The tyre strategy centres on the decision that the teams make about when to use each different type of compound. Every car will have 11 sets of slick tyres for the race weekend, made up of ‘prime’ and ‘option’ tyres. Their use is strictly governed during practice and race days though, meaning that not all 11 sets are available at the same time.

For the two free practice sessions on Friday three sets are allocated to each car: two ‘prime’ and one ‘option’. Of these, one set of ‘prime’ tyres has to be returned after the opening free practice session, meaning that two sets are available for the second free practice session, which are then returned afterwards.

On Saturday morning, the teams are supplied with eight sets of tyres in total per car – four ‘prime’ and four ‘option’. One set of ‘prime’ and one set of ‘option’ tyres have to be returned after the final free practice session on Saturday morning, leaving each driver with six sets of tyres for qualifying and the race. So for qualifying and the race, each driver has only three sets of each compound.