What are the F1 tire usage rules?
2 Answers
f1 tire usage rules are as follows: 1. Designated tire usage rules: The FIA will designate 3 sets of tires, including one set of red tires that teams cannot use before qualifying. The top 10 drivers who advance to Q3 must use this set of tires to complete Q3, and must return them to the race organizers after Q3 ends. The other two sets are tire compounds that teams are required to use, and teams must choose one of these two compounds as their race tires. 2. Practice session usage rules: During the three free practice sessions, teams must return one set of tires within 40 minutes after FP1 begins and at the end of FP1, and two sets at the end of both FP2 and FP3. After the three practice sessions, teams are left with only 7 sets of tires for qualifying and the race. 3. Race and qualifying usage rules: Since the top 10 drivers in Q3 must return the set of red tires used in Q3, by the race stage, the top 10 qualifiers only have 6 sets of tires available, one less than the drivers ranked 11th to 20th. Additionally, the top 10 drivers must start the race on the set of tires used to set their fastest lap in Q2, meaning they start on a used set of tires that completed Q2 flying laps. During the race, each driver must use at least two different tire compounds.
The current F1 tire regulations are quite intricate. The race tires are exclusively supplied by Pirelli, categorized into dry tires, intermediate tires, and wet tires. The dry tires are marked with five hardness levels from C1 to C5, with higher numbers indicating softer compounds. Before each race, teams receive two sets of each of three specified dry tire compounds, along with two sets of intermediate tires and two sets of wet tires. During the main race, teams are required to use at least two different dry tire compounds, mandating at least one pit stop for a tire change. The qualifying rules are also quite interesting, as the third session requires drivers to use a specified tire compound to set their fastest lap times. In rainy conditions, the race automatically switches to wet tire rules, and if the rain is too heavy, the safety car will lead the field. Tire temperatures must not exceed 100 degrees Celsius, or penalties may be imposed. All these rules are designed to balance competition safety with spectator appeal.
