Everything you need to understand Formula 1's Pirelli tyre compounds — from the rock-hard C1 to the ultra-soft C5, plus intermediates and full wets. Click any compound to explore in detail.
Used in light rain, damp tracks, or when conditions are borderline between wet and dry. 50 litres of water cleared per second at 300 km/h. The most versatile wet tyre — can sometimes be used on a drying track longer than expected.
The extreme wet weather tyre. Clears 85 litres of water per second at 300 km/h with its aggressive tread pattern. Only used in heavy rain. Significant aquaplaning protection but substantial drag. The tyre of last resort.
| Strategy | Typical Stops | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Soft → Hard | 1 stop | Short, low-deg circuits where the soft can run long. Monaco-style tracks. |
| Soft → Medium | 1 stop | Medium-length circuits with moderate tyre stress. Most common single-stop. |
| Medium → Hard | 1 stop | High-deg circuits where pace on the medium is needed early but longevity is key late. |
| Soft → Soft → Hard | 2 stops | High-deg circuits where soft deg is too fast for one stint. Can undercut rivals. |
| Soft → Medium → Medium | 2 stops | Circuits with high tyre stress but where mediums have good pace. |
| Hard → Hard | 1 stop | Long, high-deg circuits where both drivers start on hard and aim for minimum stops. |
| Session | Soft | Medium | Hard | Int | Wet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice (total) | 2 sets | 3 sets | 2 sets | 1 set | 1 set |
| Qualifying | 4 sets | — | — | 1 set | 1 set |
| Race | 1 set* | varies | varies | 1 set | 1 set |
| Total | 7 sets | 3 sets | 2 sets | 3 sets | 3 sets |
*Teams must return one set each of soft, medium and hard before the race. Allocation varies by circuit.