Thursday 12 January at 07:35 : Jan.12 (GMM) Pirelli will officially launch its 2012 season later this month, according to the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat.

The report said the Italian marque's president Marco Tronchetti Provera will be present at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina circuit when this year's tyres and markings are revealed on 25 January.

Less than two weeks later, the teams will begin official pre-season testing at Jerez.