Although the summer break has not yet arrived, Pirelli is already looking ahead to the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship and the many new developments that will unfold in the upcoming races leading up to the final checkered flag in Abu Dhabi.
The renowned Italian tire manufacturer has officially announced the selection of tire compounds that will be used across the ten Grands Prix comprising the second part of the 2025 season after the summer break. These selections, agreed upon in collaboration with the FIA and Formula 1 management, introduce several important innovations compared to the 2024 season, based on the data collected during the opening months of this year and simulations conducted at the Pirelli factory.
Pirelli’s approach is to continue the strategy followed in the first half of the season by offering generally softer compounds in selected races where teams can afford to take risks or by introducing compound jumps, similar to what was seen at the Belgian Grand Prix last week. There, the tire allocation was adjusted specifically to add excitement and unpredictability to the race.
This approach will be evident immediately after the summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, where the compounds will be one step softer than last year. At this iconic seaside circuit, teams will have the option to run C2 as Hard, C3 as Medium, and C4 as Soft tires, compared to the harder trio of C1, C2, and C3 used in the 2024 season. This change has been designed to encourage strategies involving multiple pit stops, especially on a track where last year most drivers completed the race with just a single stop.
This decision is considered a bold move by Pirelli because the Zandvoort circuit is notoriously demanding on tires due to the high loads experienced in sections with banking, particularly in the final corner. Additionally, the track features several medium-to-high speed turns that require meticulous work on the front tires during corner entry and throughout the curves. However, due to difficulties with overtaking on this layout, Pirelli has opted for softer compounds in hopes of shaking up strategic approaches and promoting more on-track action.
A significant change is also set for the Baku street circuit, where the ultra-soft C6 compound will make a return. This tire, the softest introduced this year, has already played a prominent role in races such as Imola, Monaco, and Montreal. For the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the compound lineup will include C4 as Hard, C5 as Medium, and C6 as Soft, representing an evolution from the C3-C4-C5 combination used last season. The goal is to widen strategic options on this unpredictable city circuit, which often presents multiple racing scenarios.
At the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Pirelli will make a subtle adjustment to the tire compounds. While the Medium (C3) and Soft (C4) tires remain unchanged due to limitations, the Hard tire will shift from the C2 to the more conservative C1 compound. This change is intended to increase the potential for tactical variation by providing a slower but considerably more durable Hard tire compared to the Medium and Soft options.
The same approach will be applied the following week at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where the C2 compound will replace the previous C3 as the Hard tire, while the Medium and Soft compounds (C4 and C5) remain unchanged.
Conversely, the Brazilian Grand Prix will see the opposite trend, with all compounds being one step harder than last year’s selection. The Hard, Medium, and Soft tires will be C2, C3, and C4 respectively, reverting to the choices made in 2023. This decision was influenced by the completely resurfaced track at Interlagos, where early practice sessions indicated that the C5 Soft tire would not be a viable race option. Thus, Pirelli opted to return to the harder selection for 2025.
For the remaining races—Monza, Singapore, Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar—no changes are planned. On four of these circuits (the first four), the current C3-C4-C5 tire package will remain in use. Meanwhile, at the Qatar Grand Prix, known as one of the toughest circuits on tires, Pirelli will continue to offer the hardest available compounds: C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium), and C3 (Soft).
Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director, explained: “We decided to announce the tire selections for the entire second half of the season in advance to give teams ample time to prepare for the upcoming events. There are several new elements, all developed in collaboration with the FIA and the championship promoter, based on data analysis and extensive simulations.”
He added: “The choices aim to increase the balance between one-stop and two-stop strategies and, as a result, create more uncertainty and spectacle on track. There is no single solution to achieve this objective, but without immersing ourselves in the reality of racing, it is impossible to find concrete answers.”
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