F1 rookies set to get extra set of tyres for Friday practice
Formula 1 teams running rookie drivers during Friday morning practice are set to get an extra set of tyres from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards

Pirelli has proposed to supply an additional set of tyres, built to the same construction as the current race rubber but using a more durable compound, for any team running a rookie driver on Friday mornings.
Teams are currently allocated 11 sets of tyres for the weekend, with one set of the harder compound returned after the first practice sessions.
This means that teams usually run only one set of the harder compound in the first free practice session.
But if the Pirelli proposal is accepted, a rookie driver would run both the extra set and the standard one, significantly increasing the number of laps completed.
The idea for the such a move came from Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley.
"Bob Fernley said he'd like to run rookie and development drivers on Friday morning and we asked what would it need," Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery told AUTOSPORT.
"For the first half-hour on Friday, nobody is running and they all just sit there looking at an empty track, so we suggested some tyres that you are only allowed to use in the first half-hour or something like that.
"It would be a compound that gives you as many laps as you need on the assumption that you run a rookie driver."
The proposal is set to be discussed between the teams and the FIA's Charlie Whiting.
Hembery is hopeful that a conclusion can be reached in Bahrain next week.
"We can do it from Spain as it's relatively easy," he said.
"It would be based on the structure of the current tyre, but a completely different compound.
"We can do it from Barcelona but the detail is something that needs to be sorted out with the teams and Charlie."
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone referred to the extra set of Friday tyres during Sky Sports' pre-race coverage.
Hembery said that Ecclestone supported the idea as it would ensure more on-track action during the opening 90-minute practice session.
"Bernie was keen to get people running for the TV cameras and it also allows us to do something for the younger drivers," he said.
"It will help the transition from either GP2 or World Series [Formula Renault 3.5] into F1."
Only one team has run a rookie driver during Friday practice so far this year, with Caterham fielding Ma Qing Hua in China on Friday.
While it is unlikely that the leading teams would take advantage of running a rookie, teams in the second half of the field have a history of doing so.
Should the proposal be given the green light, it will have no influence on the current tyre allocation for qualifying and the race, which will continue to comprise three sets of each of the two allocated compounds.

Previous article
Christian Horner furiously dismisses Mark Webber conspiracy talk
Next article
Hamilton says he is in the title fight after strong start to 2013

F1 rookies set to get extra set of tyres for Friday practice
Trending
Starting Grid for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
F1 Fast Facts: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
How 2021's midfielders have taken lessons from F1's top teams
Formula 1’s latest Imola adventure turned into an expensive trip for many teams due to several crashes throughout the weekend. While balancing the books is an added factor in 2021 with the cost cap, a few midfield teams have cashed in early on development investments
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Driver Ratings
A frantic wet race at Imola produced plenty of excitement and drama as drivers scrabbled for grip. Amid the hatful of mistakes and incidents that ensued, who kept their noses cleanest?
How the Emilia Romagna GP result hinged on three crucial saves
Rain before the start of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix promised to spice up the action, and the race certainly delivered on that. Max Verstappen got the best launch to win from Lewis Hamilton, but both got away with mistakes that could have had serious consequences
The back-bedroom world-beater that began a new F1 era
The first in a line of world beaters was designed in a back bedroom and then constructed in a shed. STUART CODLING recalls the Tyrrell 001
The clues Hamilton’s F1 contract afterthought gives to his future
The Formula 1 world reacted with surprise when it learned Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited new Mercedes deal guarantees his presence on the grid only until the end of 2021. Both parties claimed publicly they were happy with the arrangement but, asks MARK GALLAGHER, is there more to it than that?
How a harshly ejected Red Bull star has been hooked by racing again
Driver-turned-DJ Jaime Alguersuari lost his love for motorsport when he was booted out of Formula 1 just as he was starting to polish his rough edges. Having drifted from category to category then turned his back on racing altogether in 2015, he’s come full circle and is planning a return in karts for fun
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well-aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead on pace. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping