Formula One tyres

Formula One tyres are specialised racing tyres designed for use on a Formula One car . Tyres play a crucial role in the car's performance, affecting grip, handling, and overall speed. Tyres are also a component into racing strategy, depending on factors such as weather or deterioration. Throughout the history of Formula One , tyres have undergone major changes with different manufacturers and specifications used in the sport. Since 2011 , tyres have been provided exclusively by Pirelli , an Ital...

Formula One tyres bear only a superficial resemblance to a normal road tyre. Whereas the latter has a useful life of up to 80,000 km (50,000 miles), the tyres used in Formula One are built to last less than one race distance. The purpose of the tyre determines the compound of the rubber to be used. In extremely wet weather, such as that seen in the 2007 European Grand Prix , the F1 cars are unable to keep up with the safety car in deep standing water due to the risk of aquaplaning . In very wet...

During the 1950s and 1960s, Formula One tyres were supplied by Dunlop , Englebert , Firestone , Continental and Goodyear . In 1958, Dunlop introduced its R5 racing tyre, replacing the cotton fabric of the earlier R1 to R4 tyres with nylon fabric, allowing for a reported 12 lb reduction in tyre weight. [ 3 ] During the 1960s, Dunlop introduced improved nylon casings, reduced aspect ratio, significantly increased tyre width, and the use of synthetic rubber. [ 3 ]

Slick tyres were introduced to Formula One by Firestone at the 1971 Spanish Grand Prix . [ 4 ] 1975's Ferrari 312T used a Goodyear 26.0"×16.2"–13" slick tyre (overall diameter × width) in the rear on a 13"×18" rim, with a Goodyear 20.0"×9.2"–13" slick tyre in the front on a 13×10" rim. [ 5 ]

For the 1981 season the maximum diameter of the rear tyre was limited to 26.0", while the diameter of the front tyres was increased. Therefore, from 1981 until 1992, Goodyear supplied white sidewall marked Eagle tyres with the sizes of 25.0"×10.0"–13" in the front and 26.0"×15.0"–13" in the rear. [ 6 ] For the 1993 season, the complete wheel width of the rear was reduced from 18" to 15". [ 7 ] This prompted Goodyear to change to yellow sidewall markings to correspond to the new, narrower rear ty...

For the 1997 F1 season , Bridgestone joined Goodyear in supplying tyres to F1 competitors, creating a tyre war between the two manufacturers. Goodyear would leave the sport following the 1998 season , [ 8 ] leaving Bridgestone as the sole tyre provider for the next two seasons.

In 1998, grooved tyres were introduced with three groove lines in the front tyres and four groove lines in the rear tyres. [ 9 ] Between 1999 and 2008 , regulations required the tyres to feature a minimum of four 14 mm (0.55 in) grooves in them, with the intention of slowing the cars down. This is because a slick tyre, with no indentations, provides the most grip in dry conditions. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] They could be no wider than 355 mm (14 in) at the front and 380 mm (15 in) at the rear, and the maxim...

On Friday, 17 June 2005, during the afternoon's practice session, Ralf Schumacher , who was driving for Toyota , crashed heavily in turn 13 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, as a result of a left-rear tyre failure . Turn 13 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course is a high-speed banked turn, unique in Formula One racing, that causes a greater than usual lateral load . [ 30 ] [ full citation needed ] This pressure can cause the side walls of the tyre to bow and wear in abnorm...

The following day, Michelin reported that the tyres it had provided for its seven customer teams— BAR , McLaren , Red Bull , Renault , Toyota, Sauber , and Williams —were unsafe for extended high-speed use on this turn, and announced its intention to fly in another set of tyres from its Clermont-Ferrand headquarters. [ 32 ] However, the replacement tyres flown in, which were of the type used in the Spanish Grand Prix earlier that year, turned out to have the same problem when tested. [ 33 ]

In a letter to FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting , Michelin representatives Pierre Dupasquier and Nick Shorrock revealed that they did not know the cause of Schumacher's tyre failure, and unless the cars could be slowed down in turn 13, Michelin's tyres would be unsafe and unsuitable for use during the race. [ 34 ] Whiting replied, expressing his surprise that Michelin had not brought along a second set of tyres. Instead, he suggested that the teams be informed of the maximum safe speed in turn ...

At the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix , the tyres had the grooves painted green, as part of a promotion by the FIA to reduce the impact of motoring on the environment called Make Cars Green . The softer of the two types of tyre still had the second innermost groove painted white, as per normal. [ 35 ]

Upon the return of slicks at the beginning of the 2009 season, the white stripe to indicate differences between the tyres was no longer possible due to the lack of grooves on the tyres. Subsequently, in a continuation of the Make Cars Green tyres in Japan, Bridgestone painted the sidewalls of the option tyre green instead.

There are eight tyre compounds available for the 2025 season. Two are treaded wet-weather tyres supplied at every Grand Prix: the intermediate (indicated by a green sidewall) for damp tracks with light standing water, and the full wet (indicated by a blue sidewall) for heavy standing water. The other six are dry-weather slicks, designated C1 to C6. C1 is the hardest, offering the least grip but the greatest durability, while C6—an ultra-soft compound introduced for the 2025 season—is the softes...

Pirelli nominates three of the compounds to be run at each race. Of these three, the hardest compound is named the hard tyre for the weekend and is denoted by a white sidewall, while the softest compound is named the soft and is denoted by a red sidewall, with the third of the nominated tyres named the medium tyre which is denoted by a yellow side wall. Drivers have to use at least two of the dry weather compound tyres during a race, unless the race is affected by wet weather.

With the intention of making tyre usage more sustainable in the future, Formula One tried a reduction in allocated tyre sets from 13 to 11 at two races in 2023. At these races the use of tyres in qualifying was mandated as hard in Q1, medium in Q2 and soft in Q3, assuming that the weather was dry. Teams are usually free to choose which tyre compound they run during qualifying. [ 39 ]

From 2011 onwards, the Italian manufacturer Pirelli is the sole tyre supplier. [ 14 ] The deal is currently set to last through the 2027 season. [ 1 ]

The manufacturer that is competing in 2025 is shown in bold . These results are correct as of the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix .

Ordered by number of races won. The manufacturer that is competing in 2025 is shown in bold . These results are correct as of the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix .