F1 tyre names to be dropped in 2019

Formula 1's different tyre compound will be numbered rather than named in 2019 as Pirelli hope to simplify the system, as well as drop at least one compound. Pirelli created seven compounds for the 2018 campaign, but one – the superhard – has not been used at a single race.

Pirelli confirmed earlier this year that the tyres at each race next year will only be referenced to as 'soft', 'medium' and 'hard' – although a range of compounds will remain in play, with Pirelli selecting three – as has been the case for several years.

Existing names like hyper, super and ultrasoft will be ditched once and for all next year, with the differing grades of rubber instead given a number ranking.

"We call them one, two, three, four, five," Pirelli motorsport director Mario Isola said. "One is the hardest and five is the softest. If we have six then six will be the softest.

"We'll inform the teams: 'compound one, compound two, compound three…' and we'll tell them not hard, medium, soft that will be white, yellow, red, but we'll give them the numbers."

With superhard not used at all this year and the hard compound only featuring at Silverstone, Pirelli's range will be pared back next year, with a post-season test in Abu Dhabi set to help determine how many compounds will be needed.

"The test will be important to understand if we can reduce by one compound," said Isola. "Ideally we want to homologate five but we have six available.

"Probably one of the six is going to disappear. But we will inform the teams so they know exactly what is going to happen."

MORE: Hamilton explains decision to run #1 in Abu Dhabi
MORE: FIA dismiss Haas protest against Force India