F1 Tire Colors Explained: What Each Stripe Means

The cinematic spectacle that is "F1: The Movie" is apt to boost nan sport's fame to caller heights, but it didn't really request overmuch help. According to Nielsen Sports (via Forbes), Formula 1's world fanbase grew by much than 10% successful 2024 compared to 2023. It's nan 2nd consecutive twelvemonth of double-digit growth, pinch immoderate 826.5 cardinal group now considered F1 fans — and that includes way much women than ever.

Part of that, nary doubt, is nan lingering effect of nan Netflix show "Formula 1: Drive to Survive," developed pinch nan backing of nan sport's governing body, nan FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile). Yet that's conscionable 1 of nan galore ways Formula 1 proactively useful for instrumentality engagement, and putting different colored stripes connected nan cars' tires is really another. The colors designate nan abstracted rubber compounds utilized for each tire, arsenic we'll explicate successful a minute, and that makes it easier for fans, arsenic good arsenic broadcasters, to travel teams' tyre moves. For instance, you tin easy show erstwhile a driver changes tactics, switching tyre compounds, by noticing nan changes successful stripe color. 

Formula 1 tires are made from a assortment of materials, starting pinch a operation of earthy and synthetic rubbers. By adjusting that mixture, on pinch nan ratios of different materials used, you tin fine-tune nan measurement nan resulting compounds execute connected nan track.

For nan 2025 F1 season, Pirelli, nan charismatic tyre supplier to nan series, has developed 7 compounds, pinch six now successful play. The twelvemonth began pinch compounds going from C0 to C5, pinch nan little number being nan harder tire. A caller soft compound, C6, will beryllium introduced for nan Italian Grand Prix successful September. The institution provides tires utilizing 3 of those compounds for each title weekend, and nan teams tin usage them arsenic they spot fresh — though they person to usage astatine slightest 2 of nan 3 compounds at immoderate constituent during nan event, and utilizing wacky h2o tricks successful nan tires is decidedly not allowed.

The hardest of nan 3 tyre compounds connected a fixed play get achromatic stripes, nan mean tires deterioration yellowish stripes, and nan softest tires show disconnected reddish stripes. Those are considered suitable for barren tracks, and Pirelli besides provides tires for bedewed conditions (with bluish stripes) and intermediate upwind conditions (with greenish stripes).

Each squad only has a constricted number of tires to usage during nan weekend, and each thigh presents almost endless possibilities for gaining an advantage by choosing nan correct ones. Softer-compound tires whitethorn grip nan way amended for enhanced performance, but they won't clasp up arsenic agelong to nan ongoing reward of racing. Drivers tin get much miles retired of nan harder, much durable tires, but they'll person to sacrifice immoderate velocity and handling.

It tin beryllium a akin type of communicative pinch deciding whether aliases erstwhile to usage barren tires versus intermediate aliases bedewed ones. When long-time racer Nico Hülkenberg precocious proved F1 fairytales still happen, earning his first podium decorativeness successful 239 starts, his team's tyre strategy made a awesome difference: The Hulk went to intermediate tires during portion of nan British Grand Prix while galore rivals stayed pinch dry-weather rubber, allowing him to make a superior move successful nan standings nether rainy skies. 

Here, nan quality successful tires was mostly design, arsenic dry-weather tires, sloppy of compound, are slicks; they person nary treads aliases different features to transmission h2o retired of nan way. This allows for much rubber to meet nan road, but it makes them prone to vulnerable hydroplaning erstwhile water's connected nan track. The trade-offs spell nan different measurement pinch intermediate and afloat bedewed tires. That helped things spell Nico's measurement astatine Silverstone.