Pirelli believes Ferrari could have a genuine Soft tyre option for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix after Charles Leclerc’s strong Sprint performance showed considerably less degradation than expected. Data gathered at Zandvoort has left all three compounds in play for Sunday’s race, although the Medium-Hard combination remains the benchmark one-stop strategy according to Pirelli’s simulations.
Saturday’s Sprint gave Pirelli valuable information ahead of the Grand Prix, with the direct comparison between the Medium and Soft confirming particularly interesting behaviour from the softer compound. The Hard also remains a viable choice over the longer race distance, widening the strategic possibilities at a circuit where traffic and overtaking could prove decisive. The weekend had already been expected to place tyre management at the centre of the Dutch GP strategy and set-up challenge.
Dario Marrafuschi, Head of Motorsport at Pirelli, said the Sprint data largely confirmed the indications gathered before the race. “We obtained good data from the Sprint. Naturally the Medium was the preferred choice for the Sprint, but we also saw very good behaviour from the Soft. In terms of performance and degradation, it was in line with the Medium.”
Charles Leclerc’s Soft tyre run gives Ferrari another Dutch GP option
The most interesting finding concerned the Soft, which showed far less degradation than initially expected. That was particularly evident through Charles Leclerc, with Oliver Bearman the only other driver to use the compound during the Sprint. Ferrari’s decision ultimately helped Charles Leclerc secure second place, and his Soft tyre strategy in the Dutch GP Sprint provided one of the clearest comparisons available to Pirelli.
“In terms of performance, we expect the Soft to have an advantage of around half a second over the Medium,” Marrafuschi explained. Direct data for the Hard is more limited, but Pirelli’s estimates put the performance difference at approximately seven tenths compared with the Medium.
“The Medium and the Soft are quite similar in terms of degradation. The Hard is obviously much more consistent.”
That creates several strategic possibilities and, crucially, means all three compounds can realistically be used during the Grand Prix. “We have seen that all three compounds are a valid choice for tomorrow’s race,” the Pirelli motorsport chief confirmed.
The Sprint itself offered Ferrari an especially useful reference because Charles Leclerc was able to maintain competitive pace on the Soft over the full distance. A closer look at the Ferrari SF-26’s Soft tyre performance at Zandvoort also showed how effectively the compound remained in its operating window as the stint developed.
Dutch GP tyre strategy favours a one-stop race
Despite the relatively small theoretical difference between one-stop and two-stop strategies, Zandvoort’s circuit characteristics have pushed Pirelli towards the more conservative option. The main concern is the traffic a driver could encounter after making a second pit stop, particularly because overtaking around the Dutch circuit remains difficult.
“Putting together all the data relating to performance and wear, we think the one-stop strategy will be the one to choose, because it is quite difficult to overtake at this circuit and with two stops you could run into the problem of traffic,” Marrafuschi explained.
Purely in terms of theoretical race time, however, the difference is surprisingly small. “In terms of pure numbers, the two-stop would only be three seconds slower over the entire race distance. We are close.”
Medium-Hard is Pirelli’s fastest strategy
According to Pirelli’s simulations, the fastest solution is a Medium-Hard strategy, with the preferred pit-stop window approximately between laps 27 and 33. A Soft-Hard strategy is only slightly slower, costing around one second over the full race distance.
That makes the Hard particularly important because several teams have retained two sets for Sunday. Its consistency could also make an early stop possible if the race is neutralised by a Safety Car.
“Several teams have two sets of Hards available. Putting the wear data together with what we know about the Hard, you have a kind of guarantee that you can complete a long stint without having to worry too much about wear,” Marrafuschi explained when asked whether a team could make an early stop under a Safety Car and then attempt to reach the finish on the Hard.
Pirelli does not regard such an approach as particularly advisable under normal circumstances, but it would not cause major concern from a tyre-life perspective.
Pirelli also identifies two possible two-stop strategies
Pirelli has nevertheless identified alternatives involving two pit stops. The first is Medium-Hard-Soft, with pit windows approximately between laps 24 and 30 and then between laps 46 and 52.
The second option would be Soft-Medium-Medium, with the first stop expected between laps 21 and 27 and the second between laps 45 and 51.
Marrafuschi stressed, however, that Pirelli does not consider either option the most advantageous. Even less attractive is the Soft-Medium one-stop strategy.
“Frankly, it is about seven seconds slower. It is the worst of the package. We would not recommend it from a performance point of view, although we consider it possible.”
Track position could therefore become as important as outright tyre performance. Ferrari saw during the Sprint how difficult it was to make progress even with competitive pace, although Charles Leclerc was able to pass Lando Norris for second place late in the race.
No graining concerns despite Zandvoort’s difficult track surface
In terms of tyre behaviour, Pirelli has not detected any particular concerns despite the characteristics of the Zandvoort asphalt and the presence of sand and dirt that can influence grip.
“The compounds are working correctly. We are not seeing graining problems. Despite the characteristics of the asphalt, its roughness is not leading to graining,” Marrafuschi explained.
The wear observed during the weekend is therefore considered normal.
Tyre warm-up proved easier than Pirelli expected
Another positive development during the weekend has concerned tyre warm-up. Given the low temperatures and Zandvoort’s short lap, Pirelli initially expected teams to require an additional preparation lap after leaving the pits before beginning a qualifying attempt.
That assumption changed during the session. “Initially, considering the short lap and the low temperatures, the teams were prepared to complete a preparation lap during qualifying. Then it became clear that even a single push lap was sufficient.”
Marrafuschi noted that pole position was ultimately achieved on the first push lap.
Ferrari nevertheless experienced its own difficulties bringing the tyres into the desired operating window during Grand Prix qualifying, when Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc secured fifth and sixth on the grid. That issue formed an important part of Ferrari’s Zandvoort qualifying and Sprint performance analysis.
The weather also influenced how teams approached qualifying. With rain forecast, drivers were reluctant to take unnecessary risks by delaying their timed laps and instead completed their efforts immediately.
“The tyres reacted correctly. We did not receive any complaints that the tyres were not ready for qualifying with only one preparation lap.”
Pirelli keeps Dutch GP tyre pressures unchanged
Pirelli has also confirmed that there was no need to revise the decisions made before the start of the weekend, including its prescribed tyre pressures.
“We always analyse the data during a Sprint weekend. We carry out an initial analysis on Friday and then a review after the Sprint. Everything is in line with our estimates, so we will not change any prescriptions for the rest of the weekend,” Marrafuschi clarified.
Soft tyre performance becomes the surprise of the Sprint
The behaviour of the Soft therefore remains one of the weekend’s main surprises. The compound had initially been regarded as more vulnerable to degradation than the Medium, but Charles Leclerc’s run showed otherwise.
“It was a nice surprise, because I expected more degradation on the Soft. Instead, it was really in line, with the same degradation as the Medium,” Marrafuschi admitted.
The relatively cool temperature range may also have contributed. “Maybe in these cooler conditions that is why the Soft worked better than expected.”
That finding could be particularly useful to Ferrari given the work carried out on the SF-26 during the weekend. The team introduced significant aerodynamic developments at Zandvoort, including changes to the floor and diffuser detailed in the latest Ferrari SF-26 floor upgrade analysis.
Ferrari has several strategic routes for the Dutch GP
The strategic picture ahead of the Grand Prix is therefore unusually open. Medium-Hard remains Pirelli’s reference solution, but the Soft has demonstrated that it can be considerably more competitive and consistent than initially expected, while the Hard provides teams with a dependable option for the longest stints.
For Ferrari, Charles Leclerc’s Sprint provided especially valuable evidence that the Soft can remain effective beyond its initial performance advantage. That does not automatically make it the preferred starting tyre for Sunday, but it gives the team another credible tool depending on grid position, track conditions and the timing of any Safety Car periods.
Traffic is likely to be one of the decisive factors, both in determining whether teams choose one or two stops and in defining the precise timing of each pit stop. With all three compounds available as realistic race tyres and only a small theoretical difference between some of the strategies, the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix could become particularly interesting from a tactical perspective.
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