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Pirelli not expecting pit-stop overkill in Australia

Pit stops were sometimes too frequent in 2013 © Sutton Images

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Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery does not expect to see more than "two or three" pit stops per driver this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix.

Pirelli's compounds came under fire last year for the speed in degradation, with instances of four- or five-stop strategies proving very unpopular with viewers. The jury still appears to be out on the 2014 tyre, with some drivers unsure how they will cope with the demands of the new regulation changes.

Despite the unexpected nature of the Melbourne opener, Hembery is confident the new generation of Pirelli tyre will cope well.

"This is the most radical rules shake-up of the modern Formula One era, so we've had to create a completely different set of tyres for the brand new dynamics presented by the 2014 cars," Hembery said. "Pre-season testing has shown just what a big challenge these new rules are for everybody, but we have worked very hard throughout last year and the winter to come up with an entirely fresh range of tyres specifically designed for these latest-generation cars, featuring new compounds and constructions that actually cut down on degradation while maintaining the same level of performance.

"As a result, we're still expecting between two to three pit stops per car in Melbourne, although we'll be able to make some more exact predictions after we see the cars run in free practice. The first race of the season is always unpredictable but this will be the case more than ever in 2014."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.