Pirelli to test new hard tyre in Germany instead after Silverstone washout

The new hard compound tyre has a wider operating window, which should make it easier for the teams to work with, but no teams got to use it on the opening practice day because both sessions were wet.

With Pirelli scheduling to use the soft and medium at the German GP, it is not ideal to try and spend time evaluating the hard compound at Hockenheim - but the Italian tyre manufacturer thinks it may still be the best option to see if it is an improvement.

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said: "We will probably take it to Hockenheim. We will ask teams if we can take it there, as we are quite keen to see it - although it is not ideal for the nature of the track."

Hembery said last month that although the tyre may be viewed to be a step forward, Pirelli would be reluctant to introduce it this year because it could favour one team more than another - which could have an influence on the world championship battle.

"I would say it is really for next year," he explained at Silverstone. "We are just trying to understand the correlation between our test car [a 2010 Renault] and the current cars."