from PlanetF1
Pirelli won't be using their controversial soft compound at this weekend's Bahrain GP.
The manufacturer revealed its tyre allocation for the first four grands prix before the start of the season and their new 2013-spec soft and hard tyres were pencilled in for the Sakhir circuit.
However, the soft rubber was criticised quite heavily by several teams in China this weekend as they believe the degradation levels are too high and it spoiled racing.
The Italian firm confirmed on Tuesday that the medium tyre will replace the softs for the race in Bahrain.
A Pirelli spokesperson, though, told Sky Sports Online that 'the decision to bring the medium tyre to Bahrain had already been made prior to Shanghai, with the decision communicated to the teams two weeks ago'.
He added 'the decision to go one step harder on the option tyre had been made in light of Pirelli's initial experiences with their 2013 rubber prior to China and also related to the high ambient temperatures in Bahrain and the sandy nature of the stop-start track'.
Meanwhile, Pirelli are not ruling out modifying their rubbers for the European leg of the 2013 season.
Pirelli motorsport chief Paul Hembery says any modifications for Barcelona are part of a routine procedure, and not bowing to pressure.
"In 2011 we made some changes to our compounds, last year we did not," he told German new agency dpa. "The decision whether or not we will make changes to our current compounds will be announced after Bahrain and would then be applied from Barcelona onwards. The changes would not be structural but minor changes to the compounds."
Several drivers and teams have criticised this year's tyres, but Hembery insists no one has asked them to change the compound.
"There has not been one team so far this year that has come to us directly to ask us to change the tyres. Quite on the contrary actually. A lot of the team principals and engineers have told us expressively not to change anything," he added.