To help the fans distinguish between the six different types of tyres being used in Formula 1 in 2011, Pirelli have introduced an innovative colour code. According to Pirelli, the colours “reflect the unique personality of each tyre”.
Here is your handy guide to each of the tyre colours, and the personalities that define the compounds.
Super-soft – magenta
The excitable super-soft tyre is extremely grippy but goes off the boil quickly. Magenta sums up this tyre’s eye-catching speed.
Soft – lilac
The predictable soft tyre is attractively speedy but will fade away quickly, a characteristic it shares with the colour lilac. Ideal for short stints and qualifying runs.
Medium – pink
The no-nonsense medium tyre is dependably durable without too much of a compromise in speed. This is somehow just like the colour pink.
Hard – light red
The bashful hard tyre takes a while to show its true colours, but once it gets comfortable it doesn’t disappoint. Like a demure lady-friend, its accents glow light red.
Intermediate – fuchsia
Ideal in damp conditions, the intermediate tyres can surprisingly excel in either dry or wet weather, just like the fuchsia flower.
Wet – purple
If you have a real downpour on your hands, it is time to use the wet tyres. Rain is sometimes signified by the colour purple on the radar in a weather forecast.
Pirelli have put a lot of hard work into this colour-coded approach to Formula 1 tyres, and I’m sure you’ll agree that fans will not be left scratching their heads in the slightest.
😀
“Of course there’s a difference if you squint hard enough”