Each driver gets a fixed number of tyres for the weekend — and they have to make it last across practice, qualifying, and the race. No unlimited rubber here.
How many tyre sets does each driver get?
On a standard weekend, each driver gets:
- 13 sets of dry tyres
- 4 sets of intermediates
- 3 sets of full wets
That’s it — use them wisely.
Can they use any tyre at any time?
Mostly, yes — but there are some rules:
- Pirelli sets the three compounds (Hard, Medium, Soft)
- Drivers must use at least two different dry compounds in a dry race
- Certain sets are reserved for qualifying
Do tyre sets get taken away?
Yes. The FIA removes some sets after each session. This prevents teams from saving all the best tyres for the race.
What about Sprint weekends?
On Sprint weekends, the allocation is slightly different:
- Still 13 sets of dry tyres
- Specific rules for Sprint Qualifying:
- SQ1 & SQ2 = Mediums only
- SQ3 = Softs only
- SQ1 & SQ2 = Mediums only
Tyre use is more tightly controlled to manage the extra race.
Why limit tyre sets at all?
To add strategy and tension. Teams must balance tyre wear, performance, and availability. It also keeps costs down.
