First indications on 2026 F1: the first three races begin to outline a new scenario

First indications on 2026 F1: the first three races begin to outline a new scenario. Pirelli has revealed its full dry tire choices for the first three races of the 2026 F1 season.

Ferrari pit stop, tire, intermediate, 2025 F1

Australia, China, and Japan will immediately offer a highly varied technical picture: here is what emerges from the first official choices for the start of the 2026 F1 season.The 2026 F1 season is beginning to take shape even before the lights go out. The first official communications regarding the start of the upcoming season are starting to outline a highly varied technical scenario that will immediately put teams and drivers to the test.Pirelli has confirmed that the entire range of dry compounds will be used across the first three races of the 2026 World Championship, with no changes compared to those employed in 2025. This choice will allow for an immediate assessment of the new single-seaters’ behavior under vastly different conditions.

The first event will be in Melbourne (March 6-8), where Pirelli has selected the C3, C4, and C5 compounds. In the past, this combination has favored two-stop strategies, with full utilization of the compounds during the race. However, in recent editions, variable weather has often reshuffled the deck, making tire management even more complex.

The season will then continue with the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai (March 13-15), which will feature the C2, C3, and C4 compounds. The 5.451 km circuit features medium-level loads and particularly stresses the left side of the car. The Chinese weekend in 2026 will also feature the Sprint format, increasing the strategic unknowns.

The third stop will be Suzuka (March 27-29), one of the most demanding tracks for the tires. Here, Pirelli will bring the hardest compounds: C1, C2, and C3. In 2025, the low asphalt temperatures allowed for longer stints and a one-stop strategy, whereas in 2024, thermal degradation necessitated at least two pit stops.

Before the seasonal debut, teams will be able to work on the new cars during three test sessions. The first, behind closed doors, will take place in Barcelona from January 26 to 30. The other two will be held in Bahrain from February 11 to 13 and February 18 to 20.

The full deployment of dry compounds right from the first races will allow Pirelli to gather fundamental data on performance, graining, and overheating. This information may influence future selections, starting with the European season, in a 2026 that promises to be immediately technical, challenging, and full of unknowns.

The rigorous selection of varied tire compounds for the opening three races confirms that F1’s technical and strategic challenges will begin immediately in 2026, forcing teams to quickly understand and master the behavior of the new-generation cars. This early data collection will be vital as teams fine-tune their development trajectory throughout the season.

Which of the first three races do you predict will be the most strategically complex given Pirelli’s tire selections and the new 2026 regulations? Let us know with a comment at the end of the article or on our social media channels: Facebook Group / Facebook Page / Instagram / X (former Twitter) and TikTok.