<h2>Formula 1 Tyres - Explained</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>A crucial part of a Formula 1 car and race strategy is the tyres and the choice of compounds for any given race day.</p> <p>As the contact point with the racetrack, they serve as one of the most important factors in performance over an entire weekend.</p> <p>From the peak performance grip required for Qualifying to managing degradation and deterioration in race strategies, tyres shape the outcome of every Grand Prix.</p> <p>Sportsbet’s Punter IQ series on The Huddle explains everything you need to know about F1 tyres: Who supplies them, the compounds and different types, and how drivers and teams manage their allocations over a race weekend.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Who is F1’s current tyre supplier?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Since 2011, Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli has been Formula 1’s exclusive tyre supplier, returning to the sport after several shared tenures in the past.</p> <p>They are currently signed through as the exclusive supplier until the end of the 2027 season.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Who supplied F1 tyres in the past?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>In previous years and eras of Formula 1, multiple tyre brands have been used at the same time. This led to what became known as the “Tyre War”.</p> <p>Before Pirelli, it was Bridgestone who were signed as the sole supplier, following a period alongside Michelin in the early 2000s.</p> <p>Before then, Goodyear had the longest run as F1 tyre supplier from the mid-1960s to the late 1990s. Other brands like Avon, Firestone, Dunlop, and Continental have all come and gone as main suppliers for Formula 1 teams and cars.</p> <p><br /> <br /> &nbsp;</p> <h2>What type of tyres are used on F1 cars?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>A major shift came in 2022 when the FIA moved to an 18-inch tyre as part of a raft of changes to the technical regulations. These tyres were designed entirely by Pirelli with thousands of hours of durability testing invested into them.</p> <p>The goal and result were to build a versatile tyre range that was built for performance and durability, while also aligning with F1’s Net Zero Carbon target by 20</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>What tyre compounds are used in Formula 1?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>For the 2025 Formula 1 season, Pirelli has supplied six slick compounds—the hardest C1 through to the softest C6—plus two types of wet-weather tyres.</p> <p>For each race, Pirelli selects three compound tyres from the range based on the circuit's grip characteristics and weather conditions.</p> <p>Harder compounds are chosen for circuits that put greater pressure and demands on the tyres, causing increased wear.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>All the tyres are colour-coded for clarity:</p> <p>Red = Soft (highest grip, shortest lifespan)</p> <p>Yellow = Medium (balance between performance and durability)</p> <p>White = Hard (lowest grip, longest lifespan)</p> <p>Green = Intermediate (for damp/ wet weather but not fully soaking conditions)</p> <p>Blue = full wet (for heavy rain)&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>How many tyres do F1 drivers get each weekend?</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>On a standard race weekend, drivers are given 13 sets of dry weather tyres, four sets of intermediates, and three sets of full wets.</p> <p>These are to cover a full race weekend, including Practice, Qualifying, and Race Day.</p> <p>An extra set of Softs (Red) are given to the drivers who reach Q3 (not Q4) in Qualifying, while all drivers must use at least two different slick compounds during the race, providing the track is dry.</p> <p>For Sprint events, the allocation of tyres drops from 13 to 12 sets of dry tyres, with drivers receiving two sets of designated Hard, four sets of Medium, and six sets of Soft.</p>