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Beginner path · Step 6F1 tyres explained: compounds, colours and strategy
Tyres decide more F1 races than almost anything else. Once you understand them, strategy starts to make sense.
The colours
| Stripe | Tyre | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 🔴 Red | Soft | Fastest, but wears out quickest |
| 🟡 Yellow | Medium | The all-rounder |
| ⚪ White | Hard | Slowest, but lasts longest |
| 🟢 Green | Intermediate | Damp or drying track |
| 🔵 Blue | Full Wet | Heavy rain |
Pirelli has a wider range of dry compounds. For each race it picks three of them and labels them Soft, Medium and Hard for that weekend. So “Soft” at one track can be a different rubber from “Soft” at another.
The two-compound rule
In a dry race, every driver must use at least two different dry compounds. That’s what forces at least one pit stop and creates strategy.
Key terms
- Degradation (“deg”): how quickly a tyre loses performance. High deg means more pit stops.
- Graining: small rubber rolls form on the surface and cut grip, usually temporarily.
- Cliff: the point where a worn tyre suddenly gets much slower.
- Stint: the laps run on one set of tyres.
How to read strategy as a viewer
Check which tyres each driver starts on. Someone on Hards among a field of Mediums is planning a long first stint. That driver might jump ahead later when everyone else pits. When you hear “plan B”, the team is usually switching to a different tyre plan.
FAQ
Why are soft tyres faster?
Softer rubber grips the track better, but it heats up and wears out faster, so it lasts fewer laps.
Who makes F1 tyres?
Pirelli is F1's single tyre supplier. Every team uses the same tyres.
Do drivers have to pit in F1?
In a dry race, yes: they must use two different dry compounds, which means at least one stop. In wet races that rule doesn't apply.
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