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Pirelli hints at fifth compound in 2013

Pirelli would like to extend its current range from four to five dry compounds © Pirelli

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Paul Hembery has hinted that Pirelli could look to introduce a fifth tyre compound for the 2013 season.

At present there are just four compounds - hard, medium, soft and supersoft - available for selection, with Pirelli having to nominate two compounds for each of the 20 races this season. Hembery said that there were a number of changes that Pirelli is looking at for next year, but a new option could be to add another compound in order to be able to select tyres that are more suited to the characteristics of each track.

"We want to make some changes, probably structurally to the tyre and possibly to the compounds, maybe a qualifying tyre," Hembery told FM103.3 in Montreal. "Maybe even ask if we can have a few more compounds so that we can maybe adapt our show to each circuit a little bit better. Four compounds for 20 circuits is a tough challenge."

Pirelli test driver Jaime Alguersuari also knew that a fifth compound could be on the cards and said it would make him more attractive for 2013 if it happened.

"It could be (an option)," Alguersuari said. "Nothing has yet been confirmed because we still have so many things to test. We have already done one test and we have some good conclusions, but there are a lot of things to follow, a lot of things we must continue to work on. We will make our opinions for next year. And for me it's great because it gives me the chance to know a product that no else knows. For me, that's fantastic."

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