Pirelli F1 tyres and their color markings for 2012

In order to spice up the spectator experience the 2012 Formula One Championship brings in a ‘new visual’ identification from the tyre perspective – color coding.

Pirelli’s Formula One tyres have changed for the 2012 season – both on the outside and the inside. The first thing that people will notice are the new enhanced color markings – which make it easier to spot at a glance which tyre is which.

The improved markings are the result of several television trials and also the latest decal technology – which means that the colored stickers will cling to the tyre even at speeds in excess of 300kph and loadings of up to 5G.

Let’s take a look at the 2012 Pirelli tyre range, their color identification and description

 

P Zero Silver hard – “A tyre that offers a lot more flexibility in terms of strategy” – Paul Hembery

The new P Zero Silver hard is actually quite close to last year’s medium compound. It guarantees maximum durability and the least degradation, together with optimal resistance to the most extreme conditions. The P Zero Silver is ideal for long runs, taking more time to warm up, but is well suited to circuits with abrasive asphalt, big lateral forces and high temperatures. The new P Zero Silver was tried out for the first time last year during private testing at Barcelona.

 

 

P Zero White medium – “The medium tyre would perform well under most circumstances”

The P Zero White medium is the most versatile tyre in the range, designed to be effective in as wide a variety of circumstances as possible, particularly when the track characteristics are changeable. This means that it is likely to be one of the most frequently nominated tyres this year. The new medium compound was already tried out last year during free practice at the German Grand Prix on the Nurburgring and made another appearance at the young driver test in Abu Dhabi towards the end of 2011. It made its race debut as the soft compound for the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix.

 

 

P Zero Yellow soft – “This tyre gives plenty of grip together with comparatively high levels of degradation”

This tyre is biased towards pure performance and the compound is a step softer than last year’s soft tyre. It performs best on circuits with comparatively low tyre wear and warms up extremely quickly, offering excellent levels of grip and traction. Compared to last year, it has been engineered with greater levels of thermal resistance to reduce the blistering phenomenon. This tyre is set to be frequently paired with the medium compound: a combination that will offer plenty of flexibility in terms of race strategy.

 

 

P Zero Red supersoft – “This is also a good tyre to use for cold ambient temperatures, thanks to its rapid warm-up time and instant traction”

This is the only tyre that remains unchanged in terms of compound from 2011 but the profile and structure are completely different. It will once more be used primarily on tight and twisty tracks, as well as street circuits, where it generates the most extreme performance as well as maximum grip. The trade-off for this tyre’s speed is decreased durability compared to the other slicks but it remains a favored option for qualifying as well as for slippery and low-grip surfaces.

 

 

Cinturato Green intermediate – “The flexibility of this tyre makes it very efficient in a wide range of conditions”

The compound and tread pattern of the Cinturato Green is unchanged compared to last year, having proved to be extremely effective in changeable conditions such as those seen in Canada and Great Britain. The shallow grooves can disperse up to 25 liters of water per second at full speed, and a slightly higher sidewall compared to the slick tyre helps to increase the ride height of the car, minimizing the risk of aquaplaning.

 

 

Cinturato Blue wet – “The full wet tyre became a familiar sight last year”

The full wet tyre takes over the blue color that was allocated to the intermediate in 2011. The tread pattern remains the same as last year, capable of dispersing up to 60 liters of water per second at full speed, but the profile is different to optimize the evacuation of water and prevent aquaplaning. This tyre disperses standing water six times faster than a road tyre, guaranteeing good grip even in very wet conditions.

 

Stay tuned for our next article of Pirelli’s approach to the Circuits and tyre selection.

© RIF