The Malaysian grand prix next weekend could be the toughest challenge for Pirelli’s tyres in 2011.
That is the admission of the Italian marque’s racing boss Paul Hembery, after Melbourne last weekend pleasantly surprised teams and drivers in the wake of a winter period of extreme tyre degradation.
But he told Finland’s Turun Sanomat: "The nature of the Sepang circuit and the more than 50 degrees of track temperature will probably be the most aggressive combination for our tyres.
"Of course, any rain could change the situation, but it is probable that under normal circumstances the Malaysian grand prix will see an average of four stops (per driver)," he revealed.