Whereas the primary months of 2026 have been dominated by discussions about energy models and vitality administration, a distinct matter has taken centre stage in Barcelona: tyres. Provider Pirelli says it isn’t essentially on the lookout for that type of consideration, though given the situations it’s unavoidable.
The Barcelona Grand Prix is the most popular F1 weekend of the 2026 season up to now, with observe 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.
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That already meant the delicate and even the medium compound have been, in Pirelli’s phrases, “one-lap tyres” throughout qualifying. For the race, nonetheless, managing the extreme degradation will develop into an important issue.
“We’ve seen excessive stage of degradation figures, as much as two or three tenths, which is sort of a giant quantity,” Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra defined. “That is primarily as a result of observe traits, roughness of the asphalt, vitality of the format, and likewise the excessive observe 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 the 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.”
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It presents a totally completely different problem to Montreal and Monaco, the place groups struggled merely to get the tyres into the proper working window after which maintain them there.
“It is not likely frequent to have these type of values. For this circuit, now we have seen this stage of degradation in some circumstances, 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 mentioned, referring to Pirelli’s 2026 tyres.
“I do know that the groups will attempt to discover a solution to, as an example, maintain the temperatures beneath management. That is one thing that they may strive. Not a straightforward one, however for certain the raise and coast and energy administration will even assist them with the tyre administration.”
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“Kill understeer” or defend 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 corresponding to Montreal, whereas others excel at holding them alive in sizzling situations – an space the place has historically been sturdy in recent times. In response to Andrea Stella, nonetheless, that’s now not the case.
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Pirelli explains that there are two further components that would play a significant function 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 cut back understeer for qualifying. That has helped one-lap tempo, however may create rear tyre points through the race.
“It is the selection of the steadiness, and likewise will depend on how the groups determined to strategy qualifying after which the race with the identical set-up”, Pirelli’s head of motorsport Dario Marrafuschi mentioned.
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“This observe is nerve-racking for the entrance axle by way of sliding, so it’s a type of put on and degradation, fixed degradation of the entrance axle and overheating of the rear. It will depend on how the groups selected to strategy 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 may endure within the sizzling situations through the race due to the rear steadiness.
“Or in the event that they protected the rear axle immediately in imaginative and prescient of a extra constant race. I feel that is going to be a beneficial and thrilling variable to see within the fights on observe.”
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Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Completely different rim designs an even 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 response to Pirelli, there are main variations between the assorted approaches on the grid.
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“It is fairly a big variation. And in addition the groups are bringing new rim specs through the season as a result of they know that they’ll one way or the other 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 fully completely different approaches. And I feel particularly right here this can have a huge impact. The groups which have labored to chill down the tyres and the rim rather a lot could have far more profit than different groups.”
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In response to Pirelli, some groups’ designs are higher suited to situations corresponding to Montreal, the place decrease temperatures made it tough to get the tyres into the correct window. Different designs focus extra on holding tyres as cool as potential in extraordinarily sizzling situations, and that would present a big benefit within the warmth of Barcelona.
One would possibly assume groups may merely swap between completely different rim designs relying on the observe and situations, however Pirelli says it isn’t that simple.
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Lando Norris, McLaren
“No, they can not swap for only one weekend as a result of for us it is tough to handle completely different rim specs”, Berra replied. “They’ll begin the season with one rim specification and sooner or later in the event that they determine to vary, they’ll swap to a different rim. In any other case it isn’t potential.
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“However for certain they’ll develop one thing affecting the tyre behaviour. Normally I do know that the FIA is working to keep away from that the groups are utilizing the rim to actually calm 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 authorized 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 should be submitted, after which Pirelli should additionally take a look at the design earlier than approval is granted. The method takes a number of weeks, which means a brand new design can’t be launched in a single day.
There isn’t a restrict on the variety of rim designs a workforce can introduce throughout a season, however as a result of such developments fall beneath the price range cap, monetary actuality successfully determines the restrict.
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Two-stop or three-stop technique for the Barcelona GP?
Regardless, tyre administration is about to be an enormous problem for each workforce on the grid. Drivers mentioned after qualifying that they anticipate “at the least two pitstops”, and Pirelli agrees.
“We anticipate at the least a two-stop technique – at the least two stops. In concept, we anticipate that the most effective technique is medium-hard-hard, additionally as a result of groups have saved the onerous tyres and we expect they most likely needed to have these tyres as an possibility for the race”, Marrafuschi mentioned.
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Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Workforce
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Workforce
“The frequent sense allow us to assume that the 2 stops with medium-hard-hard may very well be an possibility 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 onerous tyres. , nonetheless, now not has that possibility after turning into the one driver to run the onerous compound on Friday.
Requested which of the remaining alternate options could be finest, Marrafuschi continued: “The second possibility we foresee may very well be medium-hard-soft. On this case, the second cease could be in the 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 needs to be evaluated through the race additionally in response to the site visitors or any potential race administration by way of security vehicles, the three-stop technique.”
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For somebody like Verstappen, that possibility may 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 under consideration”, Berra added to Marrafuschi’s clarification.
“And that’s not a matter simply of overtaking. You possibly can most likely overtake ultimately, as a result of if in case you have a delta tyre efficiency, you’ll be able to overtake. However the level is that you just danger to overheat the tyres extra, to attempt to push and overtake the automotive in entrance. So, you danger to finish up with increased degradation ranges, so it isn’t very efficient ultimately.”
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No matter which methods finally emerge, the Barcelona GP guarantees to be the primary race of this season – and subsequently of this new period – through which tyre administration actually turns into the decisive issue.
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