With the season opener just a few weeks away, F1’s tyre supplier Pirelli have confirmed the compounds they will bring to the first four races of the year. For the Australian Grand Prix, drivers will have the choice between the supersoft and medium compounds, which is one step further apart than we saw last year. It was soft and mediums in 2012, and bringing the supersofts this year, along with the knowledge the compounds are softer anyway, there’ll be some strategy at play in Albert Park.

Malaysia and China retain their compound lineups from 2012 with the medium and hards, and the medium and softs respectively.

The Bahrain Grand Prix will feature a different set of tyres this year, with Pirelli choosing to bring the hard and soft tyres rather than the soft and mediums we saw in 2012. Pirelli explain the choice, saying: “This is designed to ensure plenty of speed in qualifying coupled with the durability needed for the race, which is often held in high temperatures.”