Whereas the primary months of 2026 have been dominated by discussions about energy items and vitality administration, a distinct subject has taken centre stage in Barcelona: tyres. Provider Pirelli says it’s not essentially in search of that form of consideration, though given the situations it’s unavoidable.
The Barcelona Grand Prix is the most popular F1 weekend of the 2026 season to this point, with monitor temperatures exceeding 50 levels Celsius on each Friday and Saturday. Add to that the truth that Pirelli has not introduced the toughest compounds in its vary, however as an alternative a step softer (C2, C3 and C4), and it turns into clear that tyre degradation ranges are extraordinarily excessive.
That already meant the tender and even the medium compound had been, in Pirelli’s phrases, “one-lap tyres” throughout qualifying. For the race, nevertheless, managing the extreme degradation will turn into a vital issue.
“We’ve seen excessive degree of degradation figures, as much as two or three tenths, which is kind of a giant quantity,” Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra defined. “That is primarily because of the monitor traits, roughness of the asphalt, vitality of the structure, and likewise the excessive monitor temperatures.”
Though the warmth is logically the primary issue, the asphalt on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya can also be among the many roughest on your complete calendar. “The extent of macro roughness is excessive in comparison with different circuits. It’s the second within the rating of macro roughness of the season, after Bahrain. And clearly, it is a issue.”
It presents a totally totally different problem to Montreal and Monaco, the place groups struggled merely to get the tyres into the right working window after which preserve them there.
“It is probably not widespread to have these form of values. For this circuit, we’ve seen this degree of degradation in some instances, however that was with the previous product, the previous automotive. So, for this 12 months’s automotive, it is the primary time, additionally for this type of product,” Berra stated, referring to Pirelli’s 2026 tyres.
“I do know that the groups will attempt to discover a option to, as an example, preserve the temperatures underneath management. That is one thing that they’ll attempt. Not a straightforward one, however for certain the carry and coast and energy administration may also assist them with the tyre administration.”
George Russell, Mercedes
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“Kill understeer” or shield the rears? Key variations between groups
In that regard, there are notable variations between vehicles and driving kinds. Some are higher at bringing tyres into the working window in situations akin to Montreal, whereas others excel at retaining them alive in scorching situations – an space the place McLaren has historically been sturdy lately. In line with Andrea Stella, nevertheless, that’s not the case.
Pirelli explains that there are two extra elements that would play a serious position and are maybe much less seen to the bare eye: differing set-up selections and rim designs.
Relating to the previous, Pirelli sees appreciable variation in Barcelona. Some groups have taken extra aggressive steps to scale back understeer for qualifying. That has helped one-lap tempo, however might create rear tyre points throughout the race.
“It is the selection of the stability, and likewise relies on how the groups determined to method qualifying after which the race with the identical set-up”, Pirelli’s head of motorsport Dario Marrafuschi stated.
“This monitor is anxious for the entrance axle by way of sliding, so it’s a form of put on and degradation, fixed degradation of the entrance axle and overheating of the rear. It relies on how the groups selected to method qualifying with the set-up, relying in the event that they determined to kill the understeer throughout qualifying to have a superb beginning place. However on this case they’ll undergo within the scorching situations throughout the race due to the rear stability.
“Or in the event that they protected the rear axle at present in imaginative and prescient of a extra constant race. I feel that is going to be a precious and thrilling variable to see within the fights on monitor.”
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Photograph by: Steven Tee / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
Completely different rim designs a much bigger consider Barcelona
The second issue is, as talked about, rim design. Till 2025, groups used a standardised provider rim, however from this season onward groups have been allowed to develop their very own open-source designs. In line with Pirelli, there are main variations between the varied approaches on the grid.
“It is fairly a major variation. And in addition the groups are bringing new rim specs throughout the season as a result of they know that they’ll someway work round with rims and attempt to affect tyre efficiency”, Berra defined.
“What we have seen this 12 months is that usually stabilised situations are a lot decrease than previously. It’s because the edges are mainly cooling the entire wheel and the tyre itself. That is producing fairly a giant distinction, not solely on the rim geometry, but additionally in stabilising fairly excessive with the temperatures and pressures.
“Another groups are stabilising very low. There are utterly totally different approaches. And I feel particularly right here it will have a big effect. The groups which have labored to chill down the tyres and the rim loads could have rather more profit than different groups.”
In line with Pirelli, some groups’ designs are higher suited to situations akin to Montreal, the place decrease temperatures made it tough to get the tyres into the fitting window. Different designs focus extra on retaining tyres as cool as attainable in extraordinarily scorching situations, and that would present a major benefit within the warmth of Barcelona.
One would possibly assume groups might merely swap between totally different rim designs relying on the monitor and situations, however Pirelli says it’s not that simple.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Photos through Getty Photos
“No, they can’t swap for only one weekend as a result of for us it is tough to handle totally different rim specs”, Berra replied. “They’ll begin the season with one rim specification and in some unspecified time in the future in the event that they resolve to vary, they’ll swap to a different rim. In any other case it isn’t attainable.
“However for certain they’ll develop one thing affecting the tyre behaviour. Basically I do know that the FIA is working to keep away from that the groups are utilizing the rim to essentially quiet down the tyre as a result of that is not the aim of the rim itself. So there are some implications within the laws and every part ought to be accredited earlier than introducing a brand new rim specification.”
In actuality, groups should notify each Pirelli and the FIA earlier than introducing a brand new rim design. The drawings must be submitted, after which Pirelli should additionally check the design earlier than approval is granted. The method takes a number of weeks, that means a brand new design can’t be launched in a single day.
There isn’t any restrict on the variety of rim designs a workforce can introduce throughout a season, however as a result of such developments fall underneath the funds cap, monetary actuality successfully determines the restrict.
Two-stop or three-stop technique for the Barcelona GP?
Regardless, tyre administration is ready to be an enormous problem for each workforce on the grid. Drivers stated after qualifying that they anticipate “not less than two pitstops”, and Pirelli agrees.
“We anticipate not less than a two-stop technique – not less than two stops. In concept, we anticipate that the very best technique is medium-hard-hard, additionally as a result of groups have saved the exhausting tyres and we predict they most likely wished to have these tyres as an choice for the race”, Marrafuschi stated.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Staff
Photograph by: Andy Hone/ LAT Photos through Getty Photos
“The widespread sense allow us to assume that the 2 stops with medium-hard-hard could possibly be an choice with a primary cease between 15 and 21 and the second between 38 and 44.”
One attention-grabbing element is that Pirelli’s most popular technique requires two recent units of exhausting tyres. Max Verstappen, nevertheless, not has that choice after turning into the one driver to run the exhausting compound on Friday.
Requested which of the remaining alternate options could be greatest, Marrafuschi continued: “The second choice we foresee could possibly be medium-hard-soft. On this case, the second cease could be in direction of the final a part of the race between lap 45 and 51, with the primary cease between 19 and 25. There may be one other chance, and this actually must be evaluated throughout the race additionally based on the site visitors or any attainable race administration by way of security vehicles, the three-stop technique.”
For somebody like Verstappen, that choice might on paper even be faster than a two-stop technique, however Pirelli additionally issued a warning.
“It’s a bit of bit quicker, however it’s a must to take site visitors into consideration”, Berra added to Marrafuschi’s clarification.
“And that’s not a matter simply of overtaking. You may most likely overtake ultimately, as a result of in case you have a delta tyre efficiency, you possibly can overtake. However the level is that you simply danger to overheat the tyres extra, to attempt to push and overtake the automotive in entrance. So, you danger to finish up with greater degradation ranges, so it isn’t very efficient ultimately.”
No matter which methods in the end emerge, the Barcelona GP guarantees to be the primary race of this season – and due to this fact of this new period – wherein tyre administration really turns into the decisive issue.
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
Photograph by: Andy Hone/ LAT Photos through Getty Photos
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