Tyre markings unlikely to change soon

Bridgestone painted on the circle in Melbourne this weekend after a last-minute rule change by the FIA required the different types of compounds available at races to be 'visibly' different when the cars are out on track.

It had been hoped that the circle would be enough to make it easy to see what type of tyres drivers were using. This would help fans at the track and television viewers better understand tyre strategy during the races.

However, the first action of the season has already shown that the circle is not big enough to be visible when the cars are moving at speed - even when leaving the pitlane - and consideration is being given for a rethink.

However, with Bridgestone already having produced tyres for the next few races, and those units being shipped to Malaysia and Bahrain, there is little chance of a radically better solution being adopted in the next two races.

Any improvements, such as making the white circle bigger or a different colour, will likely need to be applied at the track - rather than at the production phase.

Bridgestone's head of trackside engineering Kees van der Grint has already said that his company will await feedback from the sport before deciding whether changes are needed for the future.

However, he has confirmed that there is unlikely to be any big differences, such as painted sidewalls, before the Spanish Grand Prix.

"It all sounds easy but we need to make and ship the tyre," said van der Grint. "We need some lead time with that.

"Anything can be discussed and anything can be done with a sensible amount of time available, but we can't react in time for Malaysia, or Bahrain - because these tyres are made already."

It is understood that some teams are reluctant for the sidewalls to be painted a colour because it would clash with their car's corporate logos.

Van der Grint admitted that the current white circle was difficult to see, and hoped that a sensible solution could be found.

"I can see the mark very clearly when I'm close to the car but when people are in the grandstands, you can't see it," he said. "It is something up for discussion in the future. But we are just doing the work, not deciding. Hopefully, common sense will win."