Pirelli announce tyre choices for 2016 season opener

Pirelli will make their red-marked supersoft tyre available in Australia for the first time next year, after revealing the three compounds that will be used in the 2016 season-opener under the new tyre regulations.

Teams will also be able to use the white-marked medium and yellow-marked soft compounds over the Melbourne weekend.

As part of the new 2016 rules, every team must save at least one set of the supersoft tyre for Q3. Those who qualify inside the top ten will have to give the tyre back to Pirelli at the end of qualifying, while those who do not make the cut can carry the extra set into the race.

Teams must also have at least one set of mediums and one set of softs available for the race - although they are only obligated to race with one of those two compounds (should they also choose to use the supersoft compound during the race).

With 13 sets of tyres in total made available over the weekend, teams have free choice over their individual allocations for the remaining 10 sets.