Press F1 for help: How does tyre strategy work in Formula 1?

Perhaps one of the toughest parts of Formula 1 for new fans to understand is how teams use their tyres. Between the different types of tyres that they can use, the impact of wear on them, pit stops, and more, the success or failure of a race is often impacted by how well teams and drivers are able to manage their wheels. Let’s break down everything you need to know.

Formula 1 tyre vocabulary

Let’s start with the lingo. We broke down some of this in our 2025 Formula 1 Glossary, but let’s go through it here:

Tyres

Just like in a car, tyres are the rubber exterior that goes on the wheel of the car. Filled with air, a tyre provides traction to the driver and also absorbs shock.

Formula 1 tyres are all owned and developed by Pirelli, which supplies all tyres to all of the teams. This provides a level of consistency in the race.

Tyre compounds

Pirelli develops six different tyre compounds, from their hardest (C1) to their softest (C6). For each race, Pirelli selects one set of hard compound tyres (C1 or C2), one set of medium compound tyres (C3 or C4), and one set of soft compound tyres (C5 or C6). They do this based on track conditions and the weather that weekend.

Soft tyres

The soft tyres have a red exterior and are typically the fastest tyres that drivers can use. They grip really well around corners, but are best suited for short stints on even terrain. These are used in races a lot as well as in qualifying and sprints.

Medium tyres

These are more standard- not as fast as the softs but not as durable as the hards. A good medium tyre, just as the name suggests. These tyres are yellow

Hard tyres

These are your most durable tyres on the grid. They last the longest, but take time off from your race time. They also take time to warm up, meaning the lap after the pit stop, drivers can continue to face slowness in their tyres. You’ll notice these tyres with a white line on them.

Intermediate tyres

Intermediates are the first set of inclement weather tyres. They are best suited for light rain and drizzle conditions, and are green.

Full wet tyres

These blue tyres are used only in very heavy rain. They have deep grooves to push water away, but are very slow relative to the other tyres. Drivers rarely go for these tyres unless there are extreme circumstances, and even then, try to change back to the intermediates as quickly as possible.

How many sets of Formula 1 tyres does each driver get during a race weekend?

In each Formula 1 race, drivers receive 13 sets of dry weather tyres, four sets of intermediate tyres, and three sets of wet tyres. Drivers who each Q3, or the third round of qualifying, also get an extra set of soft tyres. Drivers have to use at least two different types of tyres during each dry race.

On Sprint weekends, this drops down to 12, without the extra set of soft tyres. The allocations for wet-weather tyres also change to five intermediate tyres and two wet tyres.

How do teams choose which Formula 1 tyres to use when?

Tyre strategy changes based on a number of factors, with weather and track conditions being the first decision that teams have to make. Assuming the weather is clear and normal, the biggest choice that teams make is how often they want to make a pit stop and when.

From their analysis of free practice, teams come up with a game plan for how they want to run the race. They are required to make at least one pit stop in every race, and two in certain races, changing tyre compounds at least once. As a result, they come up with a plan for how they want to use their tyres.

Ideally, teams go with some combination of soft and medium tyres in some order, hoping that their driver will go as fast as possible for as long as possible on the soft tyres, then switch to mediums and ride the speed right to the end.

The reality is that when you go faster and push harder, it increases the wear on the tyres. Teams are in constant communication with their drivers as to how the car is performing and how to manage the tyres. Drivers usually try to follow those instructions, but this has caused frustration as they are trying to get ahead and stay ahead of others on the track.

Teams will often ask drivers to cool their tyres or manage them over several laps, to try and keep the driver out longer and make as few changes as possible; however, this has an impact on pace and on how stable the driver feels in the car.

Formula 1 Tyres issues

When tyres wear out, it causes performance issues, and there are specific issues that can arise, including:

Blistering

Tyres can get blisters just like our bodies. Basically, sections of the tyre wear off, and it softens in sections. This decreases grip and makes it harder to steer around corners. Often, this is a result of running tyres too much, causing overheating, the weather on the track, or incorrect tyre pressure.

Graining

When tyres are sliding around too much on the track, it causes uneven wear. This causes granules to break off and affix themselves to one side of the tyre, making it even harder to steer.

Lock-ups

Sometimes when drivers go around a corner too fast, the tyres will lock up, particularly the back wheels. This is dangerous as the driver loses control of the car. Not only could this cause a collision, but it also massively impacts the wear on the tyre, making it even harder to steer.

Key tyre points to remember as you watch a Formula 1 race

There are three key things to notice in a race that will make you both a smarter F1 fan and also make you sound smarter.

Notice the colour of the tyre to know which one it is

Keep an eye on the colour of the tyre as the driver is racing. This will tell you what tyres they are using, and then you’ll also know how it will impact their racing. Red for soft, yellow for medium, and white for hard.

Keep an eye on how long a driver has had the same tyres on, especially the soft tyres

When a driver has gone for a long time on red tyres, you know that the wear on them is going to be greater. They are more likely to struggle to keep us as the tyres are not as fresh, and also more likely to go for a pit stop.

Listen to the drivers on the radio

Drivers and teams are often at odds when it comes to strategy, with the two often at odds around how to run the race. The drivers on the track constantly prioritize winning and driving as fast as they can at all times, while teams take a more strategic long-term view.

The communication between the two is often hilarious, making the race even more entertaining.

You should know be a Formula 1 tyres expert! Following these tips should make you a better F1 fan. Keep an eye on this series to become an even smarter fan.