Since Pirelli joined Formula One back in 2011, the topic of the tyres used in the sport has often been the topic of much debate. Unlike their predecessors Bridgestone, the Italian rubber manufacturer accepted the challenge from F1 to design non-bullet proof tyres which degrade to improve the sporting spectacle.
Of course this is not a usual requirement from a tyre manufacturer whose primary objective is to deliver road car tyres with lives that exceed that of their competitors. And the road has been long for Pirelli who found themselves early on the centre of a massive row over multiple tyre blow outs during various Grand Prix.
Yet on the whole in an era when Formula One teams are building cars which are close to 100% reliable, the Pirelli experiment has been a success amidst changing goal posts from year to year as the F1 cars develop make ever increasing demands on the rubber.
Pirelli extend range of compounds to SIX
For 2025 Pirelli have expanded the range to six different compounds in an attempt to cover all eventualities the variety of circuits on the F1 calendar bring. Pirelli boss Mario Isola stated at the start of the season: “We have a wider range of options compared to last year: there is more effective spacing between the various compounds in terms of performance and, overall, they seem to be less prone to both tread surface overheating and graining. “
The goal for Pirelli is to select the range of tyres for each event which would force the teams into a two stop race, yet this year so far this has not been the case in either of the two dry weather Grand Prix. In Australia a combination of a wet/dry race and a number of safety cars meant the race would always be at least a two stop strategy for the teams.
For China Pirelli strangely elected to bring a range of tyres one step harder than in 2024 to China despite the circuit having been resurfaced. Yet the drivers’ having had no running on the hard tyre in the single practice session were suspicious of excessive wear in the Grand Prix. As it turned out, the degradation was low and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was suspected of not using fully the available grip of the medium tyre on his first stint, losing ground to the leaders.
Again come Japan, the compounds selected were the hardest in the Pirelli range as the Suzuka circuit usually punishes the rubber wear through a combination of high speed turns and a nigh on full stop chicane at the end of the lap. But the circuit there had also been resurfaced and the tyre degradation was non-existent which lead to surprise comments from McLaren’s boss Andreas Stella.
Drivers complain tyres were too hard
“Certainly I would have preferred old-style Suzuka before the resurfacing, because, in a situation like that, we would have exploited the good qualities of our car,” said Stella. “But when the tyres behave so strong, we have no additional qualities because everyone has very low degradation.”
After the Japanese borefest George Russell was critical of Pirelli’s choice of tyre compounds stating: “I think these last two weekends, I think the tyre compounds have just been too hard for resurfacing, and it’s been an easy one-stop both races, and that’s just really taken any fun from the strategy.”
McLaren may be happier despite the same hardest Pirelli range of compounds featuring this weekend in Bahrain, given the surface is one of the most abrasive on the calendar and the temperatures are expected to be high which will contribute towards higher tyre wear.
The decisions for which tyres should be run in the first five races was taken before the season began, with logistics in mind around the shipping of hundreds of tonnes of rubber around the pacific rim. It appears the first sensible change of compound from 2024 will feature at the third race of the triple header in Saudi Arabia. This year the tyres will be a step softer than in 2024 which was a one stop procession.
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Pirelli act to stop borefest repeats
Isola explains: “In 2024, 18 of the 20 drivers had started on the Medium, namely the C3 and an early neutralisation in the race pushed 14 of those to switch immediately to the C2, which was then the Hard, keeping it all the way to the end. With a softer trio, we believe this can lead to a situation where there could be a mix between one or two-stop strategies.”
Today Pirelli reveal which tyres will be used at the final early season flyaway race and at the first to take place on European soil. For Miami and the Emilia Romagne Grand Prix the tyres will be a step softer than last year. Both races in 2024 were predominantly one stop strategies for the teams and Pirelli appear to be responding to the needs of race fans rather than just on the grounds of safety.
With each passing weekend Pirelli are learning more and more about how their 2025 rage of F1 tyre compounds are working in real life. The head of the Italian tyre company’s F1 project recognised the problems from Japan despite the drivers enjoying a race where they could push from start to finish.
“We had further confirmation of this last Sunday in Suzuka, where, even in a race that wasn’t particularly exciting in terms of on-track action, everyone said they were pleased to be able to continually get their lap times down right to the end of each stint,” Isola notes.
New super soft tyre for Monaco
“However, we must balance this with the shared desire among all key stakeholders in our sport to create the conditions for unpredictable and spectacular races. Tyres and their behaviour are an important part of that picture and as a partner of Formula 1, we want to be proactive in this regard.”
Since the exploding tyres debacle and the landslide criticism Pirelli received from all quarters of the F1 paddock, the tyre manufacturer tends to err on the side of caution when selecting the range compounds for each race weekend. This often means the less likely to suffer terminal damage harder tyres are chosen rather than a softer range which will spice up the racing.
Yet having delivered two borefests in China and Japan, Pirelli are rising to the challenge it seems given their softer choices of tyres this year for Jeddah, Miami and Imola. Now with six compounds from which to select three for each F1 weekend, Pirelli are keen to try out the entire range in the early part of this year so they can make better informed decisions over the rest of the 2025 campaign.
The brand new this season C6 softest compound is expected to feature in Monaco, where the Grand Prix will be a mandated two stopper this year anyway. Last year the top ten finished in the same order they started, something never seen before in Formula One history.
Hopefully the new super soft C6 together with two sets of pit stops for each driver, will make Sunday more interesting and less dependent on the outcome of qualifying on Saturday. Also on the wish list is the hope that all goes well for Pirelli at the circuits they are brave enough to choose softer compounds than in previous years, because this will inform their decisions for later in the year.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
