F1 set for 'REVOLUTIONARY' change in 2025

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F1 set for 'REVOLUTIONARY' change in 2025

F1 is set to see a big change for the 2025 season

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Thursday 10 October 2024 08:27 Updated: 11:58

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Formula 1 is set for a 'revolution' in 2025, with huge plans that could shake up how cars go racing revealed.

In modern-day F1, with refuelling no longer a thing, tyre management is an increasingly important factor, with those who are able to take care of their rubber tending to have a huge advantage over their rivals.

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Just this year, for example, George Russell was able to take the chequered flag at the Belgian Grand Prix by taking extreme care of his tyres and pulling off an audacious one-stop strategy to take the victory - at least before he was disqualified for being under the official car weight limit.

The point stands, though, with any drivers who can extend their stints in races tending to have a big advantage on fresher rubber than their rivals later in the race, or eliminating the need for more than one stop in a race.

George Russell won the Belgian GP with a one-stop strategy before diqualification

Pirelli are the official F1 tyre supplier

F1 2025 set for big change

Since 2011, Pirelli have been the official tyre supplier for F1 and have a contract to remain just that through until 2027, with the option to extend that by a further year into 2028.

Currently, the Italian brand supplies five compounds of dry tyres to F1 - C1 (hardest) through to C5 (softest) - as well as intermediate and wet options. Crucially, though, on any given race weekend, only three compounds of the dry tyres are made available.

At the Singapore Grand Prix last time out, for example, F1 teams were given the softest compounds available, the C3, C4 and C5. Despite being bang in the middle of Pirelli's range, the C3 at this race is known as the hard, the C4 as the medium and the C5 as the soft.

However, according to Marca, a 'revolution' to tyres is coming, with Pirelli set to add an 'extra-soft' compound to their tyre options next year.

Pirelli's red-walled soft tyre that is currently used in F1

Their report claims that the decision has already been made to do so, with the thinking behind the move being two-pronged.

Firstly, it is designed to provide teams and drivers with greater driving safety that is more suited to the current F1 calendar, with street circuits in particular in mind.

Secondly, the hope is that it will make for a greater spectacle come race day, with an added tyre option thrown into the mix.

Whilst the hard, medium and soft tyres are coloured white, yellow and red respectively, the 'C6' compound is set to be purple-coloured - just like the 'ultra-softs' last used in 2018.

F1 teams are set to get to test the 'C6' tyre set to be implemented next year in FP2 at the Mexican Grand Prix later this month.

Mercedes Formula 1 George Russell Fernando Alonso Belgian Grand Prix