PIRELLI CONFIRM 2026 TYRE COMPOUNDS AS F1 GETS SET FOR A NEW ERA OF REGULATIONS

Pirelli have announced which tyre compounds the teams will have to race with in 2026.

Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli have confirmed which tyres they are going to supply to the 11 F1 teams in the grid next season, as the sport gets set to move into a new era of racing.

This season, Pirelli gave the teams three compounds per race from their range of six different tyres, along with the intermediate and full wet weather options.

That model continues in 2026, but Pirelli will be choosing three compounds from the C1 through to the C5 rubber – with no C6 tyre option next season.

The last tyre test came in Mexico City just a few weeks ago, and saw the teams handed some extra compounds during the first practice session of the weekend. Pirelli have analysed this data to come up with their choices for 2026, with approval from the FIA.

The drivers will have five different compounds in play next season in dry weather running

Cars will run slightly narrower 18-inch tyres in 2026 compared to the current crop of vehicles. But Pirelli declared themselves satisfied that they had a good range of rubber for next season, which is set to feature 24 race weekends once again.

Pirelli’s statement read:

“Tyre development was carried out on the basis of forecast data as supplied by the teams, using simulations referring to loads and speeds predicted for the end of the 2026 season, while pursuing objectives similar to those of this year.

“The models were validated based on the results of development track testing with mule cars modified to reproduce the characteristics of the next generation of cars.”

Pirelli hope to create strategy differences with next year's tyre compounds

The C6 tyre was used this season at Imola, Monaco, Canada and Azerbaijan. But Pirelli felt there was not enough delta between that compound and the C5 tyre to justify its inclusion in 2026.

The tyres will be tested once more in Abu Dhabi, on December 9. The test will be conducted by the current drivers, while the young driver test will feature the 2025 tyres on the current cars.

There are then three lots of pre-season testing for the teams to further understand the new compounds, before the first race of the season in Australia, on March 8.

- F1

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F1 TYRE COOLING TRICKY TO BE SCUPPERED IN REWARDED 2026 RULEBOOK

The FIA has closed off a potential loophole with the 2026 cars

Formula 1 teams’ ability to cool tyres in hot temperatures will be made harder by the FIA, after having reworded some of its regulations for the 2026 season.

Next year sees the introduction of brand new regulations, which brings an air of excitement given the mystery of how teams will approach and interpret them.

One of the current controversies over the last year, which has spread across this season and the last, has been McLaren’s ability to keep its tyre temperatures cool when the track temperature is high.

It has led to a number of contentious moments of suspicion being cast upon the Woking-based squad as to the legality of its practices.

However, significant scrutiny has so far concluded that the team has done nothing illegal, but any potential advantages gained this year may be a thing of the past come next year.

This has led to the FIA deciding to reword the only piece of the regulations that pertains to tyre temperatures – Article 10.8.3.

Previously, it read: “d. The only permitted type of tyre heating devices are blankets that comply with the design prescriptions listed in Article C10.8.4.

e. Any other device, system or procedure (except for driving of the car) the purpose and/or effect of which is to heat, or maintain the temperature of the hubs, or brakes, above the ambient air temperature, or to maintain their temperature if they are already warm, is prohibited.”

This has led teams to suggest that this could lead, and has led, teams to exploit this, and at a meeting of the World Motorsport Council, the FIA decided to rewrite this section.

It now reads: d. “The only permitted type of tyre heating devices are blankets that comply with the design prescriptions listed in Article C10.8.4.

e. With the exception of air entering through the apertures defined in C3.16.6 and C3.16.16, and the blankets permitted in (d) above. Any device, system or procedure (except for driving of the car) whose purpose and/or effect is to heat, cool, or maintain the temperature of the complete wheels, hubs, or brakes is prohibited.”

What might this change do to McLaren, and what will it mean for F1?

Article 3.17.1 has also been amended, with a new clause added which states that suspension fairings “must be internally sealed to prevent any internal airflow.”

This also shuts down any potential usage of the fairings to enable air to reach the wheel assemblies to cool the tyres.

Whilst it is now beyond reasonable doubt that McLaren is completely in the clear on its practices of tyre temperature regulation, this tweak in the rulebook might curb its ability to gain an advantage over its rivals.

Despite the 2026 regulations conveying an air of unpredictability about the forthcoming season and which team might have interpreted the regulations best, it will be a blow to McLaren’s chances of providing continuity on its current domination.

It will also open up a debate on whether the FIA has unnecessarily intervened on an issue in which a team has found a way to legally gain an advantage for the sake of narrowing the competition, rather than leaving teams to figure out their own way of catching up.

- Jack Oliver Smith

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HAMILTON: NEW TYRE OFFSET COST SHOT OF BELGIAN GP FRONT ROW

The lack of a new tyre at the end of Belgian GP qualifying cost Hamilton a shot at the front row.

Lewis Hamilton reckons a front-row start would have been on the cards for Formula 1's Belgian Grand Prix if he had not been on a tyre offset against his rivals.

The Briton knew that the wet weather that impacted qualifying offered him and his Mercedes team a better chance of getting nearer the front, with the W15 not appearing well suited to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Friday's dry running.

While happy to set the fourth fastest time in Q3, which will become third on the grid thanks to Max Verstappen's penalty, he reckons that more could have been possible.

"For sure I definitely can't complain," he said. "I think, when I looked at my theoretical time, I should have been second.

"But I think if I had had another tyre at the end, I think I could have [been]."

Hamilton says his pace was ultimately dictated by the timing of running new tyres, with him claiming that an aborted extra run in Q1 effectively meant he was always on the back foot with his available rubber choice throughout the remainder of the session.

"I'm always comfortable in these conditions and I do think we could have been further up if we got timing quite perfect in the last stint," he said.

"But we needed to get through Q1…We came in a bit late, then when I went back out, I couldn't do a lap because there was traffic into the last corner. So I didn't get to do that lap.

"That then kind of offsets you through the whole session because I only had one new set at the end."

Hamilton was knocked down the order by rivals electing to run late on with a new tyre, having capitalised on the track conditions unexpectedly drying.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in particular reckoned that others had taken a big gamble to leave it so late and rely on the weather clearing.

And he went further than Hamilton in suggesting that he could have been at the front if the team had done the same as others.

Speaking to ServusTV, Wolff said: "The pace was good. We were out early and chose the conservative route. We could probably have started from pole position if we had done what Leclerc did, namely gambled on it being dry at the end, which worked out for him.

"They [Ferrari] weren't so good in the long runs yesterday in the dry, but of course you can never write off Leclerc.

"Today they were the only ones to go out with the new tyre. Verstappen also had one, but he was the only one of the others. They gambled on a dry finish and that worked out for them."

With Hamilton not convinced Mercedes has the pace potential it has had in recent races, he thinks it will be hard to hold on to his top-three slot.

"I think there's a slight chance we could maybe fight for a podium, but I think it will be really tough," he explained.

"We have McLarens behind us, a Red Bull ahead and another quick Red Bull that's going to come through. It's going to be tough. I think the Ferrari is also just there with us in performance."

- Jonathan Noble 

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