The second round of the 2016 GP2 Series season will see the first appearance of the Supersoft Pirelli tyre, the softest tyre available to the championship.
Whereas Formula 1 will run with the Ultrasoft tyre for the first time this weekend in Monaco, that compound of tyre is not an option for GP2, meaning the use of Supersoft compound as well as the Soft compound.
The use of the two softest compounds is to ensure the best possibility for drivers to get heat into their tyres around the slowest circuit on the calendar, with the Supersoft in particular likely to be used during the split qualifying session at Monaco to determine the grid.
“In Monaco there is very little room for error, and there are also not a lot of opportunities for overtaking,” said Pirelli’s racing manager Mario Isola. “Finding speed in qualifying is therefore important, but not easy with such short sessions when mistakes can be costly.
“If qualifying doesn’t go to plan, tyre strategy still creates possibilities for progress to be made, particularly in the feature race where the right strategy can help a driver find clear track and vault up the order.
“Stoffel Vandoorne was rewarded for a good strategy and fast pit stop when he won from fourth on the grid in 2015 – which proves that a place on the front row of the grid isn’t essential for victory.
“With the soft and supersoft in use, tyre management is also important and can help to create some very close racing.”
