After testing Pirelli's new hyper-soft compound for the first time, Lewis Hamilton believes the Italian manufacturer has finally made a breakthrough in its Formula One tyre development.
In an attempt to have suitable compounds for as many of F1's varied race tracks as possible next year, Pirelli has extended its dry weather range to seven compounds for 2018. All compounds will go a stage softer next year and the hyper-soft will be introduced at the extreme end of the range (below the existing ultra-soft) as a tyre capable of offering maximum performance over a single lap.
The hyper-soft made its test debut on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi and Hamilton -- who drove his championship-winning W08 in anger for the last time -- said he was impressed by the new compound.