Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli has confirmed its compound choices for the fourth round of the season in Azerbaijan.
Pirelli has expanded its range of dry-weather tyres for 2018, introducing a Hypersoft and back-up Superhard compound, in order to increase its options for each Grand Prix.
The official introduction of the Hypersoft, however, is not set to take place until Monaco, with Pirelli selecting the Ultrasoft, Supersoft and Soft compounds in order to cope with the demands of the Baku City Circuit.
The respective compounds are effectively two steps softer than the tyres used at the 2017 running of the event in Azerbaijan – the Supersoft, Soft and Medium tyres – after Pirelli realigned its entire range following a spate of one-stop races last season, with the Supersoft last year effectively becoming the Soft in 2018 and so on.
Azerbaijan has moved to an April date for 2018, its third year on the calendar, following previous June dates, with the Russian Grand Prix shifted to later in the season.
As per usual, drivers are free to select tyre choice from the three nominated compounds for 10 of their allocated 13 sets.
One set of the Ultrasofts must be set aside for use only in Q3, while either the Supersofts or Softs must be used for one stint of the race.
Pirelli has already nominated the same allocation of compounds for Australia, with Bahrain to feature Medium, Soft, Supersoft and China to see Medium, Soft and Ultrasoft tyres.
