Method 1 is presently going by means of a section of transformation that touches each space of the automobile, and to actually perceive it, it’s important to inform the story by means of the phrases of those that are experiencing it from the within.
It’s typically mentioned that mastering tyre utilization is key, since it’s the automobile’s solely contact with the asphalt, however within the seek for that excellent alchemy, ingenious options proceed to emerge.
Autosport mentioned all of this with Dario Marrafuschi, Pirelli’s head of motorsport, wanting each at this time, significantly at how groups and drivers are adapting to this new technical cycle to extract essentially the most from the tyres, and on the future, inspecting what’s going to change for 2027.
Actually, it might already be revealed that there will probably be no C6; as a substitute, the vary will nonetheless consist of 5 revised compounds geared toward widening race methods.
Autosport: Let’s begin with a subject that straight pertains to Pirelli: the availability settlement with Method 1 has been prolonged by one other season, by means of 2028. Receiving such a vote of confidence from the FIA and Method 1 have to be significantly gratifying.
Dario Marrafuschi: “Appropriate. Our dedication to Method 1, except for having began in 1950, which means from the very first race in Silverstone with Nino Farina in an Alfa Romeo, has been a relentless presence over the past 15 years. Since 2011, we’ve been a provider, a technical accomplice, and a worldwide accomplice for F1. Receiving this one-year extension actually stands as a testomony to our ongoing dedication and the popularity we’ve constructed over these years.
“Method 1 is a extremely technical atmosphere dominated by expertise and innovation, however it goes past that. It is usually concerning the belief we earn with all stakeholders and each entity we work together with, significantly Method One Administration, the FIA, and all of the groups to whom we provide tyres and supply engineering consultancy providers throughout race weekends. All of this makes us extraordinarily happy with the work we’ve achieved.”
Talking of the long run, a brand new technical cycle has simply begun and is ready to run till 2030. Would you want to stay in Method 1 till 2030, and maybe even past?
DM: “We’re world companions and, above all, technical companions. Due to this fact, if the FIA and Method 1 have been to specific an curiosity in persevering with the connection with Pirelli, we will surely focus on it sooner or later. Proper now, it’s far too early to determine find out how to define the long run past 2028. Simply as we’ve all the time executed up to now, respecting the timing and requests of Method One Administration and the FIA, we will certainly achieve this within the close to future as properly.”
Let’s transfer again to the current for a second, setting the long run apart. In Canada and Monaco, two circuits that put little or no vitality into the tyres, you noticed a pattern the place lap occasions turned out faster than anticipated, seemingly as a result of observe and asphalt situations exceeded the groups’ predictions. Is that this one thing you’ve observed elsewhere, or was it an remoted case? And if it occurs once more, how will you reply over the remainder of the season?
DM: “The low-energy side is actually a major technical issue, however so far as these two races are involved, I consider they have been distinctive and remoted instances. For the reason that begin of the season, the vehicles have undergone very vital growth by the groups. For these two particular races, we had made assumptions based mostly on simulations that had not but been up to date with information from the newest aerodynamic packages delivered to the observe by the groups.
“Due to this fact, it is a mixture of things. The asphalt and observe situations make an enormous distinction. The temperatures we encounter throughout a race weekend play a elementary position, as do the upgrades introduced by the groups, for which we’d not have acquired their newest up to date simulation but. It is a collection of marginal beneficial properties, possibly a tenth of a second right here, a tenth there, and in the long run, you end up with greater efficiency than anticipated.
Nico Hulkenberg, Audi Revolut F1 R26
Picture by: Erik Junius
“We then noticed issues get again in line at Silverstone, exactly as a result of we encountered our design window situations, with observe temperatures round 40 to 44 levels. The air temperature was round 25 to 26 levels, which I think about was additionally excellent for the facility items’ cooling packages. Since these have been our design situations and the observe was in glorious form, we discovered precisely the efficiency we anticipated. Minor discrepancies in sure races can occur, and they’re normally on account of slight mismatches in information provide and the forecasts we make.”
Let’s return to the Monaco GP, as a result of this yr we noticed one thing completely different in comparison with the previous: an additional preparation lap. From Pirelli’s viewpoint, do you suppose this comes all the way down to the vehicles producing much less downforce than final yr’s fashions? Will it take extra time to convey the tyres as much as temperature on low‑vitality circuits?
DM: “To place it merely, these vehicles generate much less vitality; they put much less temperature into the tyre on account of a mix of things. To begin with, the general downforce degree is decrease in comparison with final yr, after which there’s lively aerodynamics, as a result of on the straights, when the wing opens, downforce is lowered, and consequently, the tyres are usually not pushed down onto the observe at excessive speeds as a lot as they have been final yr. Additionally, the vitality restoration components, by exerting braking drive by means of electrical motor regeneration, switch much less warmth by means of the brake discs into the wheel rim, and subsequently into the tyre.
“So there’s a decrease thermal regime and the tyre’s thermal steadiness is completely different in comparison with final yr. This was one of many results thought of through the design section. The tyres are smaller than the 2025 ones, with completely different geometries and supplies in comparison with final yr. Nonetheless, Monaco, being a low-severity observe, is a kind of circuits the place the tyre warm-up section takes a bit longer. Moreover, the C5 compound degree has been recalibrated, however it’s a C5 that must be usable on different tracks too, not simply in Monaco. Due to this fact, through the Monaco race weekend, the so-called preparation lap was adopted by just about all of the groups.”
Is the difficulty getting the tyre as much as temperature, or quite holding it inside that 3% window of grip?
DM: “It’s a matter of getting the tyre as much as temperature, and I’d additionally differentiate between the entrance and rear axles. As a rule, you need to discover the best vitality enter and the correct process through the out-lap to heat up and produce each the entrance and rear axles into the right window. That is one thing we’ve seen at a number of tracks. Typically talking, there’s extra work to be executed to get the fronts as much as temperature in comparison with the rears.”
Staying on a associated subject, wheel‑rim designs are open once more this yr, and groups are working to scale back working pressures. For security causes, you naturally present each the minimal beginning pressures and the operating pressures as soon as the tyres stabilise. What have you ever noticed on this and the way are groups attaining these results provided that the rules restrict how a lot scorching air could be launched from the brake ducts?
DM: “The open wheel rim rules are certainly a chance for the groups, maybe not very seen on tv for most people, however extremely vital. The design of the wheel rim has modified quite a bit in comparison with final yr; we’ve seen rims with hole spokes, which some groups name pockets, and that is exactly to facilitate warmth change with the cooling of the brake ducts, so to talk. We really see variations among the many numerous groups in who manages to, I would not say handle it higher, however handle it otherwise. For one crew, the objective is likely to be to warmth it up, whereas for one more crew, it is to chill it down, relying on the automobile’s steadiness. So, we see variations, and it’s a vital efficiency lever.
“They will successfully govern the stress build-up, from the beginning stress to the stabilised operating stress, in an environment friendly means. Typically, once we take a look at efficiency and see a sure consistency in lap occasions, particularly throughout a long term, it’s also decided by how properly the crew manages to manage the pressures, holding them inside the optimum window all through the stint thanks to those gadgets.”
The groups are following two completely different paths. Some groups are attempting to heat up the tyres by concentrating on greater temperatures, whereas others are aiming for decrease pressures and cooler operating situations. Is it merely a matter of sure groups being extra environment friendly than others at holding working pressures and temperatures down, or are there genuinely two completely different philosophies at play, with some intentionally searching for greater temperatures to make tyre heat‑up simpler?
DM: “Typically talking, operating decrease pressures is a bonus for grip. Nonetheless, relying on race tempo or automobile efficiency, some groups really wrestle to maintain pressures low as a result of, by going very quick, they put lots of warmth into the tyres, whereas different groups would possibly face the precise reverse downside. Not everyone seems to be doing the identical factor. That mentioned, the design of the brake ducts, the brake drums and the wheel rims supplies an engineering lever to get the automobile to function the tyres of their optimum window.”
Let’s begin shifting in the direction of 2027 whereas staying on this subject. Since this might set off a growth conflict, do you suppose the FIA would possibly contemplate stepping in to limit wheel rim growth? Particularly contemplating that, as a reminder, managing the procedures when groups change rims already includes a major quantity of additional work for Pirelli as properly.
DM: “I don’t wish to touch upon selections that don’t fall beneath Pirelli’s accountability. We are able to deal with the wheel‑rim developments that groups suggest; all the things is regulated. When wheel rims are modified, the FIA is clearly knowledgeable and, talking strictly inside Pirelli’s remit, we’re knowledgeable as properly, for a quite simple motive. Slick tyres are fitted on the observe, with new units mounted at each race. Moist tyres, however, if they don’t seem to be used, particularly throughout European rounds, are transported by Pirelli already mounted on the rim; they don’t seem to be disassembled.
Pirelli tyres
Picture by: Paul Foster
“We are going to quickly be heading to Spa. If a crew desires to alter their wheel rim specification for Spa, this operation is carried out on-site by Pirelli by stripping the tyre, altering the rim, and in addition informing the FIA. It’s because – and that is behind-the-scenes technical info – the FIA is conscious of a singular affiliation between the tyre, the rim, and the stress sensor mounted on the rim itself. It is a connection known as ‘pairing’, identical to while you pair Bluetooth earphones with a pc. The second a rim is modified, the FIA have to be knowledgeable. Due to this fact, it’s a regulated course of that’s sustainable for Pirelli inside the acceptable guidelines dictated by the federation. Consequently, if wheel rim growth have been to be restricted, it actually wouldn’t be Pirelli asking for it; it will be on account of different causes that don’t fall beneath Pirelli’s accountability.”
Taking a look at your information, have you ever observed that some groups have already reached the downforce ranges predicted for the tip of 2026, and that the FIA is now discussing a discount in downforce for the 2027 vehicles? How may this discount have an effect on your work, particularly contemplating that you simply have to be near the homologation deadline for subsequent yr’s development, or have you ever already labored upfront?
DM: “We’ve got already labored on these matters, that are elementary to the design for the approaching yr. There’s lots of communication between Pirelli, the FIA, FOM and the groups. Any regulatory change proposed by the FIA is then authorised by the F1 Fee, which means these regulation adjustments are subsequently authorised by the groups as properly. The FIA’s objective is exactly to have a automobile bundle that’s sustainable for all events concerned, resembling aerodynamics, the facility unit, tyres, and the braking system, as a result of all the things within the automobile is intently interconnected.
“A significant shift in aerodynamics would have an effect on all parameters, clearly together with the tyres, which is why we’re saved knowledgeable of regulatory selections. Coming to the purpose, this transfer by the FIA was a option to primarily verify the spirit of the present rules, holding the vehicles inside a efficiency steadiness that was the goal for 2026/2027. Because it grew to become obvious that the groups had taken an exponential curve in aerodynamic growth, they’re making an attempt to maintain it inside the automobile’s design window, so that each one the technical companions concerned can work figuring out what the target will probably be.”
Relating to the compounds for 2027, do you count on the state of affairs to stay largely unchanged from what we’ve at this time or will one thing change?
DM: “Compounds are all the time being developed, and we’ve already executed some baseline work on this in earlier exams, a foundational stage concerning what the brand new materials packages for subsequent yr could possibly be by way of compounds. As soon as the construction is finalised, we’ll then optimise the compound scaling for subsequent yr based mostly on the outcomes already achieved. I can already reveal that there’ll nonetheless be 5 ranges; we cannot be including or eradicating a degree. We did take into consideration and focus on whether or not so as to add one other compound degree, however taking a look at Monaco, in the long run, we noticed that the majority vehicles began on the C4, which was the medium.
“Qualifying, even with an additional preparation lap, was thrilling with the C5 within the closing minutes of the session. That’s the reason we consider including a softer compound just isn’t essential. We noticed an awesome race in Monaco as properly, and if we have been to make use of a C6 in Monaco, it will be ineffective for the remainder of the season. Due to this, we’ll rescale the 5 compound ranges based mostly on subsequent yr’s goal performances. The targets are all the time to have a transparent efficiency differentiation between the 5 ranges by way of peak lap time, together with proportional degradation, so we will make selections that generate barely overlapping methods at each grand prix.
“This was the case in Barcelona, and in addition in Austria, the place the two-stop technique was similar to the three-stop one. At Silverstone, the one-stop and two-stop methods have been far aside, however waiting for subsequent yr, we’ll work, for instance, to make them a lot nearer to one another. This fashion, barring any security vehicles or neutralisations, there will probably be room for groups and drivers to decide on completely different methods, maybe managing tyre degradation in essentially the most optimum means for his or her particular automobile, and creating extra methods.”
Let’s return to a subject associated to the present tyres and the tyre behaviour. With the swap to 18‑inch tyres in 2022, the mixed section, when the motive force brakes and turns on the similar time, grew to become extra sophisticated due to the decrease sidewall. This yr, Andrea Stella defined that their information reveals variations in how the tyres behave in that section. What have you ever noticed, contemplating that the tyres are additionally narrower this season?
DM: “This can be a physiological, or quite bodily, matter for the tyre. The second you progress from 13 to 18 inches, the tyre sidewall top is lowered, and as a consequence of all this, the contact patch is shorter. Should you think about the rolling of the tyre within the longitudinal path, the size of the contact patch is shorter, and with a shorter contact patch, the transition in driving really feel between having grip and dropping it’s extra sudden. This is the reason we perceive the drivers’ feedback; it was anticipated that these difficulties would come up throughout nook entry in managing adhesion, precisely as a result of the snap offers you much less warning.
“Clearly, work has been executed to compensate for this impact, however as I mentioned, it’s a pretty physiological trait. This yr’s dimension change additionally influenced this impact barely, although not as dramatically because the swap from 13 to 18 inches. As for McLaren being extra delicate to it, I’d attribute that to the traits of their automobile. With out going into particulars, for positive followers have observed that McLaren has a really completely different automobile in comparison with the others; they selected a really completely different growth path. Due to this fact, it’s doable that their automobile is extra delicate to sure features whereas capitalising on others, as a result of they made a definitive alternative to achieve particular benefits, however it comes with trade-offs, simply as different groups have had their very own benefits and trade-offs.”
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Picture by: Steven Tee / LAT Pictures through Getty Pictures
Remaining on this subject, Stella was additionally referring to the drivers’ driving types and identified variations in how Antonelli and Russell use the steering wheel on nook entry. Have you ever observed these variations as properly when wanting on the information?
DM: “Let me offer you an instance. To react exactly to that issue in studying the automobile on nook entry, some drivers are inclined to saturate the entrance tyres coming into the flip. Saturating the entrance means they may enter the nook by giving a really sharp, fast steering enter, in order that the entrance finish experiences a step-input in the direction of a excessive steering angle, which causes the automobile to are inclined to go straight. What does tending to go straight really imply? It means it stabilises the rear extra, and the entrance beneficial properties grip progressively. This driving type of oversaturating the entrance inevitably displays on tyre put on and temperatures as properly. I can verify that once we analyse the tyres for every crew, at each race and each session, we measure the wear and tear and we do see variations.
“Clearly, these variations are then blended into different set-up selections as properly, as a result of on the similar time, it’s not simply all the way down to driving type. Possibly a crew goes for a extra understeer-biased set-up, or adjusts camber angles, maybe decreasing the entrance camber angle to stabilise the rear, and because of this, we see a distinction in tyre utilization by means of the wear and tear patterns. And that’s precisely the great thing about the competitors. That is exactly why we offer technical help to the groups throughout races; we provide our perspective on how the tyre itself is working for that particular automobile, that set-up and that driving type.”
Let’s swap to the subject of the ‘tremendous‑intermediate’, the tyre we mentioned in the beginning of the yr as a doable choice for 2027. We’re now in July: do you suppose it may nonetheless be into account for subsequent season, particularly given how few alternatives you’ve needed to run in moist situations this yr?
DM: “The super-intermediate is beneath growth; it’s one thing we’re actively pursuing. We’ve not deserted this path. We’re all the time very open to expertise and innovation, evaluating merchandise that provide an enchancment over the present ones, so that’s undoubtedly a route. I have to say that, sadly, we misplaced an preliminary wet-weather take a look at, particularly the one in Bahrain, which we weren’t in a position to perform, and on the similar time, we do not have suggestions but on how these present vehicles behave within the moist with the prevailing product. Consequently, growth in moist situations is inevitably barely slowed down in comparison with our unique plans. We are actually evaluating whether or not we will get better no less than at some point of moist testing, maybe over the summer season, however clearly, not having run a moist occasion but means we’re lacking an necessary piece of data.
“So, we’re nonetheless engaged on the super-intermediate. As for freezing the event of the super-intermediate for 2027, I do not really feel ready to substantiate that proper now, because of the delays and the shortage of moist races we have had to this point. In any case, these wet-weather developments are clearly all the time shared with the FIA and Method 1 to make the most effective technologically out there alternative.”
Let’s end with a query associated to this season. There’s presently a proposal on the desk to make up for a cancelled race within the coming months. From a logistical standpoint, how advanced would it not be for Pirelli to organise all the things in time, particularly contemplating that this wouldn’t be a European occasion however one within the Center East?
DM: “That is fairly a puzzle, as a result of sadly, in terms of the Center East, it’s nonetheless inconceivable to foretell how secure the Strait of Hormuz space will probably be. There are two logistical bottlenecks we’ve to cope with: the Strait of Hormuz itself, and the Houthi‑managed space off Yemen, which creates difficulties for cargo‑ship transit. We’ve mapped out just a few situations. If we needed to attain the Center East beneath the present situations, we would want to circumnavigate Africa.
“We’re speaking about roughly 4 months’ discover, it takes round 15 weeks of lead time to organise a transport of that scale. There are different alternate options as properly: we may undergo the Suez Canal after which cross Saudi Arabia from Jeddah in the direction of the remainder of the Center East, offered that route is viable and environment friendly. Thankfully, we’ve very dependable logistical companions, and the routes we use are precisely the identical ones utilized by the remainder of the F1 world. If there are not any tyres, there are not any vehicles both. Briefly, we’re a part of an enormous logistical ecosystem, and a grand prix isn’t added except the logistics have been absolutely assessed.
“Within the worst‑case state of affairs, we’re taking a look at 15 to 16 weeks; in the most effective‑case state of affairs, about six weeks. Proper now, sadly, uncertainty is the dominant issue, and I couldn’t say how lengthy it will take to succeed in a possible race within the Center East, additionally as a result of, even assuming we may circumnavigate Africa, we’d nonetheless must know whether or not the Strait of Hormuz is open.”
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