What are the usage rules for F1 tires?
2 Answers
The usage rules for F1 tires are as follows: 1. Quantity: Each car is provided with 11 sets of new slick tires per race weekend, consisting of six sets of harder compound tires and five sets of softer compound tires. 2. Race selection: For each race, Pirelli will pre-select two types of dry tires from four options as the designated tires, including one softer compound and one harder compound tire. 3. Main race: At the start of the main race, the top ten drivers must use the same set of tires they used to set their qualifying time. This rule only applies if both qualifying and the start were completed on dry tires. 4. Minimum usage: During the race, drivers must use at least two different compound tires once each (this rule does not apply in wet conditions). If a driver violates this rule, they will be disqualified. If a dry race is terminated for any reason before a driver has used two different compounds, 30 seconds will be added to their total race time. 5. Wet tires: If it rains at any point during the race, each team's car will use four sets of intermediate tires and three sets of full wet tires during that race weekend. If it rains during Friday's free practice sessions, each car will receive an additional set of intermediate tires, which must be returned before the third practice session.
The F1 tire rules are quite detailed, starting with the types: there are three compounds of dry-weather tires—hard, medium, and soft. Soft tires offer faster speed but wear out quickly, making them suitable only for short distances. Hard tires are slower but last longer. Wet-weather tires include intermediates and full wets, which must be used in heavy rain. The rules are specific: teams can only bring three dry-weather tire compounds per race for selection; in qualifying, drivers must complete designated sessions using one type of tire; during the race, at least one pit stop for a tire change is mandatory, and drivers cannot use the same compound throughout—they must mix two different compounds. This is for safety reasons, as in the past, the lack of such rules often led to tire blowouts. Now, mandatory tire changes prevent excessive wear. Additionally, drivers must use a specific tire at the start, which affects the entire strategic setup.
