• German Grand Prix

New hard compound to be tested at Hockenheim

The experimental hard tyre went unused at Silverstone due to the weather © Sutton Images

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Pirelli has confirmed that it will test a new hard compound tyre during Friday practice for the German Grand Prix.

The new compound was initially meant to be tested at Silverstone, but the weather meant no dry running was possible during Friday practice in Britain. As a result Pirelli has decided to make the compound available to the teams again at Hockenheim, with two sets per team on top of their normal allocations, but Paul Hembery is wary that the weather conditions could play a part once again.

"After a wet Silverstone, we hope to give the drivers the chance to run on the experimental hard compound tyre during free practice at Hockenheim," Hembery said. "But the weather in Germany at this time of year can be almost as unpredictable as it is in England: when we were at Hockenheim for the GP3 Series two years ago we saw plenty of rain, although it's been very hot in the past too."

Speaking about the compound itself, Hembery said it would be unfair to change the hard tyre without the teams having time to test the new hards.

"The new hard tyre is not a big evolution, but it has a slightly wider working range, which should make it easier for the teams to get the tyres up to temperature and maintain them in the correct operating window. We're running them in Friday free practice only as with the championship so finely balanced, we feel that it would be unfair to suddenly alter one of the fundamental parameters that the teams have made a lot of effort to understand and get the most out of.

"But we enjoy a very productive dialogue with them, and we will always take into account the wishes of the majority. It's certainly going to be interesting hearing what they have to say about the new tyre, and seeing if their impressions match up to the conclusions that we have drawn from our private testing."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.