Was Monza boring because of the tyres? Pirelli explains tyre degradation in F1 Italian GP. The Italian GP at Monza was criticised for being uneventful due to Pirelli tyres with almost no degradation.

The Italian GP at Monza was criticised for being uneventful due to Pirelli tyres with almost no degradation

The lack of excitement at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza was also linked to the tyres selected by Pirelli, which showed almost no degradation throughout the race. At times it felt more like watching a race in Monte Carlo rather than in Brianza. The Monza GP turned into a processional event, with pit stops that in some cases seemed unnecessary and tyres that allowed drivers to push without suffering significant wear. As a result, teams were able to perfectly manage the timing of their stops, minimising the risk of being undercut by rivals.

Lewis Hamilton had already anticipated this scenario after qualifying, when he criticised the choice of compounds. The seven-time world champion remarked: “The tyres are too hard. This way everyone will make just one stop and it will be difficult to recover positions. They should introduce mandatory pit stops or bring back refuelling.” His prediction was confirmed during a race where track position proved decisive and strategy, at least for the front-runners, had virtually no impact on the outcome.

Pirelli’s comment on the Italian Grand Prix

After the race, Pirelli’s head of motorsport Mario Isola analysed the situation, highlighting the minimal tyre degradation. “In this Grand Prix everything was concentrated in the early stages, when there were several overtakes and counter-overtakes. Then the situation stabilised and the race became rather straightforward. The drivers tried to extend their stints as much as possible depending on the compound chosen at the start. There was practically no graining, and this gave the teams the chance to decide their pit stop window purely based on track position. Some even extended their stints waiting for a potential Safety Car, without risking anything.”

Mario Isola added: “On some cars we noticed front blistering, but not enough to affect performance. The same can be said for wear: in some cases it was excessive, but it did not impact lap times. Overall, I would say these tyres were too good for this race. Now we will analyse the data to understand how to approach the situation for next year.”