Despite complaints of degradation and graining, Jenson Button reckons this year's Pirelli tyres are easier to understand than last year's.
Last season Button struggled to get his Pirelli tyres to work well with his MP4-27 and at times complained of a lack of grip.
This year, the complaints about the Italian rubber are different as drivers, including Button, suffered severe degradation during the recent Barcelona test.
That, though, Button understands as he can at least get the tyres to work before they begin to grain.
"This year is more difficult in terms of graining than last year, but in terms of understanding the tyre it's a lot easier," the McLaren driver told Autosport.
"You can get it in its working range, and you know by lap three or four it's going to start graining.
"Compared to last season, it's more of a fair playing field.
"Last year there were teams who could the tyres working but not know why. It was just because their cars worked with those tyres.
"Other teams really had to fight to get those tyres to work. They were really on a knife-edge.
"It took us six or seven months to really get a handle on the tyres, like a lot of teams, whereas these tyres are different.
"They're much easier to understand and easier to get in their working range."
