Pirelli sticks with same tire choices for first 4 F1 races

MILAN (AP) - Pirelli has nominated the same tire choices as last year for the first four races of the Formula One championship, starting with the Australian Grand Prix next week, the tire supplier said on Wednesday.

Medium and soft compounds will be used on Melbourne's Albert Park circuit on March 15, before a switch to medium and hard compounds for the Malaysian GP two weeks later. The Sepang circuit in Kuala Lumpur is known for its abrasive asphalt and high temperatures.

Medium and softs return for the following two races in China on April 12 - a race which often sees high degradation because of the track's demanding layout - and in Bahrain a week later.

The Bahrain GP, which starts in the late afternoon and ends in the evening, is tough on the rear tires.