NOVEMBER 24, 2017

Magnussen hopes 2018 tyres less sensitive

Kevin Magnussen says he is looking forward to trying Pirelli's new F1 tyres next week.

Kevin Magnussen says he is looking forward to trying Pirelli's new F1 tyres next week.

Although the long 2017 season ends after Sunday's race, the circus is staying behind in Abu Dhabi for a tyre test.

It will be the team and drivers' first chance to try Pirelli's new 'super-hard' and pink-coloured 'hyper-soft' tyres for 2018, which were revealed on Thursday.

"I am driving on Wednesday and will try the tyres," Haas driver Magnussen said.

"I hope that the new tyres will be less sensitive to temperature," he explained.

"A tyre is never perfect, but today's tyres are very sensitive to temperature. Pirelli made progress compared to last year and it is often the case that the tyres now do not degrade, but they are too sensitive."

Pirelli chief Mario Isola admitted in Abu Dhabi that the Italian supplier was too "conservative" with the softness of its compounds for 2017.

"The tyres we have created for 2018 addresses this, in line with the objective of having around two pitstops at most races," he said.

(GMM)