2009 slick tyre compounds - how to tell?

[ben_watkins]

Hi

Sorry if this has been asked before but I've not found the answer yet..

With the return of slicks in the '09 season do the teams have to use two compounds of tyre during a race? If so will Bridgestone still be required to mark the tyre in some way to allow the TV audience the chance of being able to tell if one driver is on option or prime tyres and how will this be achieved?

Thanks in advance..

[DaveKillens]

Yes, there will be different compounds as presently practiced. But instead of marking between grooves, now the marking band will be on the sidewall of the tire.

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/photolarge.ph ... catID=3662

[DaveKillens]

Update...

Will there be two specifications of tyre at each race next season, and how will you distinguish between them?
“We will take two specifications of tyre to each race and we have worked to engineer two specifications which have a greater difference in characteristics between the two than we saw in the 2008 season. The harder tyre of any given allocation should offer very good consistency, but not enable as good an initial lap time. The softer compound should offer a very good initial lap time, but will experience performance drop-off the more it is used. It is hoped that this should provide competitors with many challenges and strategy options to encourage exciting racing. As regards tyre markings, we are still evaluating exactly what we will use.”

http://www.f1technical.net/news/11126