Red Bull Motorsports
F1
What's the Difference Between Formula 1 Tires?
Here's our interactive guide to the seven different tire compounds used in Formula One.
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F1 tyres from Pirelli
© Pirelli
In recent years, mainly since Pirelli became F1’s tire supplier in 2011, tires have become one of the biggest talking points ahead of each Grand Prix weekend and it’s primarily down to the different compounds provided for each race.
As of 2016, instead of getting two different dry-weather compounds to use at each race, teams are now able to choose from three others on offer from Pirelli.
So that's five dry-compound tires as well as the intermediates and full wets. But just what do they all do?
Hover over or tap on the image below to learn about each compound of tire.
Drivers use a minimum of two different compounds during the course of a race (unless they’ve had to use intermediates or full wets at any point on Sunday afternoon) so a nonstop strategy is never possible.
Pirelli’s stated aim has been to return the races to having at least two stops and maybe even three. A further rehash to the rubber rules is that there is now a fifth dry compound this season, the "ultrasoft," which has become the softest on offer, sporting purple-colored sidewalls.
The new regulations have seen a greater variety of strategies adopted, as not all drivers will be running the same tire types, let alone sticking to identical pitstop windows.
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