Formula 1 has arrived in the Principality for the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, and Pirelli has announced the tyre compounds that will be used.
F1’s official tyre supplier is bringing the C3, C4, and C5 compounds to the Monte Carlo circuit. These are the softest in their range and the same ones used in the previous race in Emilia Romagna.
Drivers will receive two sets of hard tyres (marked white), three sets of medium tyres (marked yellow), and eight sets of soft tyres (marked red). Additionally, the green intermediate tyres and blue full wets will be available if needed.
Pirelli’s preview for the weekend notes, “In Monaco, the tyres face some of the lowest forces of the season as the average speed over the 3.337-kilometre track is very slow, with some corners taken at less than 50 km/h, while the cars are only at full throttle for 30% of the lap.”
Despite the low stress levels, the 78 laps on Sunday mean that every aspect of tyre behavior is tested frequently, especially the energy required for traction. Graining can be an issue, particularly in the early sessions.
Overtaking in Monaco is nearly impossible, even with significant performance gaps between cars. This makes qualifying critically important, as the starting order is often decided by mere thousandths of a second.
Strategy is limited to one main option: a one-stop race, with teams aiming to pit as late as possible to capitalize on any Safety Car periods and minimize time lost in the pit lane.
For more details about Pirelli’s F1 tyres, visit pirelli.com.