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What Are the Tyre Options for the 2026 Monaco GP?

3 June 2026
5 Min Read

Formula 1’s European season arrives at the iconic Circuit de Monaco for Round 6 of the 2026 World Championship.

The streets of Monte Carlo present a unique challenge for car and driver – it may be F1’s slowest circuit, but it demands absolute precision around the lap and its storied corners have made short work of a host of motorsport greats.

In a change from 2025, drivers are no longer mandated to make two pit stops to change tyres during Sunday’s Grand Prix. The FIA has also added an extra minute to the final part of Qualifying (Q3) on Saturday.

As ever in Monaco, Pirelli’s softest range of tyre compounds will be in use. The C3 acts as the Hard, the C4 as the Medium and the C5 as that critically important Soft tyre.

Tyre

Compound

Number of Sets

Soft

C5

8

Medium

C4

3

Hard

C3

2

Additionally, teams have five sets of Intermediates and two sets of the full Wet tyre to handle adverse weather conditions. Drivers who reach Q3 will also receive an extra set of Softs. All drivers must use at least two different tyre compounds during a dry Grand Prix.

Rain is relatively rare on race weekend in the Principality, but it often produces explosive results: only the three podium-finishers made the chequered flag in the 1996 Grand Prix.

What are the 2026 F1 Tyres?

The Pirelli tyres for 2026 are 18-inch wheels. Front tyres are 705mm in height and 280mm in width (a 25mm decrease from previous years) and rear tyres are now 710mm in height and 375mm in width (a 30mm reduction from previous seasons).

In 2026, there will be five compounds of dry tyres to choose from across the season – C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5.

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