What do the colours and compounds of F1 tyres mean?
Red, yellow, white, green and blue: what the C1 to C5 compounds, the intermediates and the wets are, and why teams choose one or another.
Summary
- Pirelli brings five dry compounds, from C1 (the hardest) to C5 (the softest), plus intermediates and wets.
- For each Grand Prix three are chosen: the softest is marked red, the middle one yellow and the hardest white.
- Green = intermediate (damp track); blue = heavy rain.
Step by step
Five dry compounds
From C1 (the hardest) to C5 (the softest). Softs grip more and wear out sooner; hards last longer and grip less.
Only three per race
Pirelli picks three of the five for each Grand Prix. The same physical compound can have a different name from one weekend to the next, depending on which ones are brought.
The colours
Among the three chosen, the softest is red, the middle yellow and the hardest white, to tell them apart at a glance.
Rain
The intermediate (green) has tread and is for a wet track without standing water; the heavy-rain tyre (blue) has the deepest tread.
The tyres of the latest race
Which compounds drivers used in the latest race with data: how many stints on each.
Did you get it?
Glossary
- Compound
- The type of tyre (soft, medium, hard…): softs grip more but wear out sooner.
- Stint
- The part of a race a driver runs on the same set of tyres, between two pit stops.
- Undercut
- Pitting before the car ahead so that, on fresh tyres, you lap faster and come out ahead when they stop.
Sources
- In 2026 Pirelli offers five dry compounds (C1 the hardest to C5 the softest), intermediates and wets; three dry ones are nominated for each race. Formula1.com · The beginner's guide to F1 tyres
- Of the three chosen, the softest is marked red, the middle yellow and the hardest white; the intermediate is green and the heavy-rain tyre, blue. Formula1.com · The beginner's guide to F1 tyres
- Some older guides mention a C0 to C5 range, before 2026: it is worth checking each season's range. Formula1.com · The beginner's guide to F1 tyres
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Valid for: 2026 season. The explanations are popular-level: for the exact rules, check the FIA sporting regulations.
Keep learning
The undercut: pitting before your rival so you come out ahead when they stop. How it works, when it fails and how it looks in a real race.
The record is 1.80 seconds, but stopping costs far more: entering and leaving the pit lane takes around 20 seconds. See how it is done and what it cost in the latest race.