Pirelli receive mixed reviews for 18-inch tyres

Lance Stroll is concerned Pirelli's new 18-inch tyres hold similar characteristics to its previous generation of tyres.

F1's tyre manufacturer has introduced the bigger, lower-profile compounds in tandem with the sport's radically altered regulations for the new season, with the hope of diminishing the overheating issues that plagued tyres in recent years.

This would allow drivers to race harder across the course of a grand prix distance, instead of having to constantly manage the temperature of the rubber through certain corners.

Speaking during the final day of testing when asked for his view on the new rubber, Aston Martin driver Stroll said: “For me, the behaviour has been very similar to the past.

"You definitely can’t see quite as well with these tyres. It’s something that I think everyone has picked up on but behaviour-wise, from what I felt over the long run, they overheat, they degrade and do the things that the tyres have been doing in previous years.”

Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas gave a more promising appraisal of Pirelli's work, stating: “They have been feeling actually a bit better than I was expecting based on what I felt in the test in Abu Dhabi at the end of last year.

“In Abu Dhabi, we were experiencing quite a bit of graining, here that has been actually a minimal issue.

“With the limited amount of laps I have got, they have been actually ok but we will see better in Bahrain.”

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