2026 Strategy Guide
Tyre Strategy
Soft, Medium, Hard — and when to stop. The difference between winning and losing a race often comes down to tyre strategy.
The Three Compounds
Pirelli brings three compounds to every race. Each team must use at least two different compounds during the race.
S
Soft
Qualifying, sprint starts, short stints
Grip95%
Life30%
M
Medium
Mid-race stints, one-stop strategies
Grip78%
Life62%
H
Hard
Long stints, two-stop buffer, degradation tracks
Grip60%
Life90%
!
The Mandatory Rule
Every driver must use at least two different tyre compounds during the race (unless rain interrupts). This is why strategy is so important — you can't just run the same tyre all race.
The 4 Key Strategies
What is a "Tyre Cliff"? 📉
A tyre cliff is when a driver suddenly loses massive amounts of lap time because their tyres have completely degraded. The rubber overheats or wears through, grip drops off a cliff — hence the name. You'll hear commentators say "he's fallen off a cliff with those tyres". It's one of the most dramatic moments in a race.