Pirelli reveals team tyre choices for second Bahrain pre-season test: Ferrari trials a new option. Pirelli has revealed the tyre selections made by F1 teams for the final three days of pre-season testing.

Pirelli has unveiled the tyre selections made by the Formula 1 teams for the final three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain, the last opportunity to run before the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

This week’s three-day test in Bahrain represents the final chance for F1 teams to put their 2026 challengers through their paces before the new campaign officially begins. As a result, tyre choice plays a crucial role, allowing teams to gather as much data as possible across a wide range of compounds and race simulations.

Unlike last week, when Pirelli opted to supply the harder end of its tyre range, the upcoming sessions will also allow teams to run the softer C4 and C5 compounds, in addition to the C1, C2 and C3 tyres that have already been used on the new-generation cars. However, not every team has decided to make the softer tyres available, as confirmed by the Italian manufacturer itself.

The teams’ tyre selections for the Bahrain test

“Mercedes has preferred to stick with the three hardest options already used in the previous days. McLaren, Ferrari, Racing Bulls, Audi and Haas have instead added the fourth compound, the C4, to the trio. Red Bull, Alpine, Williams and Aston Martin have opted for a softer approach. Laurent Mekies’ team has limited itself to C2, C3 and C4, while Alpine and Williams have also included the C5. Aston Martin is the only team to have selected exclusively the three softest compounds in the range (C3, C4 and C5). The newly formed Cadillac has spread its request across all available options: it is in fact the only team to have at least one set of each dry compound,” Pirelli explained.

As for the visual differences between the tyres, “C1 and C2 will feature white logos, C3 and C4 will carry yellow logos, while C5 will be identified by red colouring. The two compounds that share the same colour will be distinguishable because the harder of the two will have its shoulders decorated with a chequered flag pattern. Therefore, only C2 and C4 will be without decoration and will display exclusively the Pirelli and P Zero logos,” Pirelli added.

The strategic divergence in tire choices for the final Bahrain test underscores the varied development paths teams are taking as the 2026 era dawns. While Aston Martin’s aggressive focus on the C3 through C5 compounds suggests a desire to find the peak performance envelope of the AMR26, the conservative approach of Mercedes and the “all-encompassing” strategy of Cadillac reflect different priorities in data acquisition. As the temperatures in Sakhir fluctuate, the ability to read these different compounds—and the distinctive chequered flag markings on the harder variants—will provide the first true glimpse into the qualifying pecking order before the lights go out in Melbourne.