Pirelli expects the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza to favour a one-stop strategy, with the Medium tyre emerging as the most popular likely starting compound after Friday practice. The Formula 1 tyre supplier also reported only light graining after FP1 and FP2, with the issue considered manageable and unlikely to become a major concern for Sunday’s race.
The assessment follows two busy practice sessions in which teams were able to complete extensive running. There was only one interruption, during FP1, allowing Pirelli to collect a substantial amount of tyre data across qualifying simulations and longer race runs. According to Pirelli F1 chief engineer Simone Berra, the overall picture contained few unexpected developments.
Pirelli sees no major surprises in Monza tyre behaviour
“Fundamentally, there are no big surprises,” Simone Berra told the media after Friday’s running at Monza. “Apart from one red flag in FP1, there were no interruptions, so we were able to collect a lot of data. I think the performance of the C5 is interesting, because it proved good both over a single lap and on the long runs.”
The softest compound available for the weekend therefore appears to be a realistic option for Sunday rather than simply a qualifying tyre. That will give teams greater flexibility when planning their race strategies around Monza’s distinctive layout and its long periods at high speed.
“Thermal degradation can be controlled because Monza has very long straights and, obviously, it is easier to manage the temperatures on the rear axle,” Simone Berra explained. “As for the C3 and C4, the level of grip was still quite good, or at least not as low as we expected.”
Track conditions also developed positively from the beginning of the day. The support categories contributed to cleaning and rubbering in the surface, although Pirelli had already observed a reasonable level of grip during FP1.
“The support series also helped with cleaning the track, but the grip level was already good from FP1. In any case, all three compounds are good for the race,” the Pirelli engineer added.
Those characteristics will be important for every team trying to balance tyre performance with Monza’s unusual aerodynamic demands. Ferrari, for example, has also been evaluating its Monza-specific SF-26 technical package during the Italian Grand Prix weekend.
Light graining appears manageable ahead of the Italian GP
One issue did emerge during the opening two sessions: a small amount of graining. Pirelli observed it mainly on the C4 and C5 compounds, but the location and severity of the wear means it is not currently expected to create a significant problem in the race.
“We had a little bit of graining, especially on the C4 and C5, but it is localised on the inner part of the front-left tyre, so it can be kept under control and it should not be a problem for Sunday,” Simone Berra explained.
The behaviour is particularly important because graining can reduce grip when the tyre surface is subjected to localised stress and begins to develop small areas of damaged rubber. In this case, however, Pirelli’s Friday assessment suggests the phenomenon should remain manageable rather than becoming a defining strategic limitation.
The tyre supplier also released its initial estimates for the performance differences between compounds. The C3 and C4 were relatively closely matched both in outright performance and thermal degradation, with a difference of around two to three tenths of a second during qualifying simulations.
“C3 and C4 were fairly closely matched in terms of performance and thermal degradation. There were two to three tenths of difference in the qualifying simulations, while the delta between C4 and C5 was much bigger, around five to six tenths,” Simone Berra said.
That larger step to the C5 underlines why the compound produced encouraging single-lap performance while still showing enough consistency during longer runs to remain part of the race discussion. The tyre information also complements the broader performance data gathered during Friday running at Monza.
One-stop strategy expected to be fastest at Monza
Looking towards Sunday, Pirelli’s initial simulations point strongly towards a one-stop strategy. Simone Berra also believes the current tyres are proving easier for the drivers to place in their ideal operating window than they were during the previous season.
“The drivers managed to extract the peak grip from the tyre. It is not as complex as last year; this year everything seems to be more aligned to work in the optimal window,” he explained.
For the start of the Italian Grand Prix, the Medium tyre is expected to be the preferred choice for many teams. Its main advantage would be the ability to extend the opening stint, preserving strategic flexibility if a Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car appears during the first part of the race.
“I expect the teams to start on the Medium because it would support them in trying to extend the stint as much as possible in the event of a Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car in the first part of the race,” Simone Berra said.
Starting on the Hard represents another potential route. That option would allow teams to remain on track considerably longer before switching to a softer compound later in the Grand Prix.
“If it happens in the second part, starting on the Hard means you can extend the stint until lap 35 or 40 and then move onto one of the two softer compounds,” the Pirelli F1 chief engineer explained.
With approximately 24 to 25 seconds lost during a pit stop at Monza, avoiding a second visit to the pits carries a substantial theoretical advantage. Pirelli therefore believes the single-stop approach remains the quickest option on paper, continuing the strategic pattern seen at the circuit in previous seasons.
For Ferrari, managing those tyre choices will form another part of a weekend already centred on extracting the maximum from the SF-26 package prepared for the Italian Grand Prix.
High temperatures should not derail the one-stop plan
Despite the high temperatures expected at Monza, Pirelli currently sees no reason why the one-stop strategy should become impractical. The relatively controlled thermal degradation observed on Friday has reinforced confidence that the tyres can sustain the stint lengths required.
“Considering that you lose around 24 to 25 seconds in the pits, the one-stop is faster on paper, as we have seen in previous years, and despite the high temperatures it should be fine,” Simone Berra said.
Weather conditions should also help create a relatively predictable strategic environment. Pirelli is not expecting rain or significant wind, while continued running from Formula 1 and the support categories should allow the track surface to keep improving as the weekend progresses.
“No rain or wind is expected, so we anticipate that the track will continue to evolve and improve in condition over the course of the weekend,” Simone Berra concluded.
After Friday, the strategic picture is therefore relatively clear: all three compounds appear usable, the C5 has performed better than might have been expected over both short and longer runs, and the limited graining seen so far should remain manageable. Unless conditions change significantly, a Medium-tyre start followed by a single pit stop currently stands out as the most likely approach for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
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