During the Abu Dhabi post-season test, Pirelli officially introduced the 2026 tyres, featuring updated graphics and refined compounds. Formula 1 never truly stops, and the Yas Marina Circuit is once again hosting another key appointment before the winter break. Drivers and teams have remained on site after Sunday’s season finale, with several high-profile names on track, including newly crowned world champion Lando Norris as well as Isack Hadjar in the Red Bull.
Pirelli has formally unveiled the complete new range of tyres that will be used in the 2026 season. The presentation took place this morning in Abu Dhabi as part of the highly anticipated post-season test day organised by the Italian manufacturer, with both teams and drivers in attendance. It is a full day of on-track running designed to evaluate, for the very first time, the solutions adopted for next year’s World Championship.
The first major change — and the most immediately visible — concerns the sidewall design. The parenthesis-shaped graphics that have long distinguished Formula 1 tyres have now been reinterpreted with a new pattern inspired by the traditional chequered flag. This restyling gives the tyres used in the premier category a more instantly recognisable visual identity. Meanwhile, the compound colours remain the same: red, yellow, white, green and blue.
Pirelli’s 2026 tyres: more flexible strategies thanks to new compounds
From a technical standpoint, the 2026 P Zero dry-weather range will once again feature five compounds, from C1 (the hardest) to C5 (the softest). Overall performance levels remain broadly consistent with the current range, but the differences between each compound have been made clearer and more uniform, with the aim of enabling more effective race strategies. The tread pattern for the Intermediate and Full Wet tyres remains unchanged.
The tyres have also been redesigned to match the new 2026 cars. Although the 18-inch wheel size is retained, the tread width is reduced by 25 mm at the front and 30 mm at the rear. The overall diameter of the tyre has also been decreased, by 15 mm at the front and 10 mm at the rear. The new tyres are already running on track today, mounted on the mule cars prepared by the teams.
Official homologation is scheduled for 15 December, while their first appearance on the new 2026 machines will take place during the Barcelona test, held from 26 to 30 January 2026.
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