F1 Explains: Tyres - what's new for 2026 and how Pirelli get drivers on track
F1 Nation
Formula 1
4.3 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 27 March 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Is it tyres or tires? Either way, they're very important. The temperature and condition of a driver's tyres have a huge impact on their performance. 2026 sees all-new tires in F1, so what's changed? How do Pirelli choose which tyres to bring to each Grand Prix? How does the company and the FIA ensure tire fairness?
Pirelli is the Official Tyre Supplier of Formula 1. The company's Head of Motorsport, Mario Isola, joins Christian Hewgill to answer your questions. Mario explains what's different about this season's rubber, the number of tires Pirelli brings to each race and how they are allocated to the drivers.
Why don't F1 tyres have tread? Do all types of tire weigh the same? Who pays for them? Mario has the answers.
Send us your questions for episodes on race strategy and race engineers
F1Explains@F1.com
F1 Nation - Japanese GP Preview out now. Race review coming Monday on this feed
F1 Beyond The Grid - Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu on the team's ambitions
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Amazing deals on package holidays. Pay now. |
| 0:03.3 | I've got tickets to that sold out show. Message now. |
| 0:06.3 | Your subscription's been suspended. |
| 0:08.0 | Update your payment details. |
| 0:09.7 | Final warning. To receive your package, pay the fee immediately. |
| 0:12.9 | Mom have had an accident. Please send money. |
| 0:15.0 | There's been suspicious activity on your bank account. |
| 0:17.8 | And I need a few personal details. |
| 0:20.7 | Fraud is getting more sophisticated. |
| 0:23.3 | Always stop, think and check. |
| 0:26.3 | Stay ahead of scams at gov.ukk slash stopthink fraud. |
| 0:32.5 | Whenever we talk about tyres on F1 explains, |
| 0:35.4 | I remember the poem Jolian Palmer came up with on a previous episode. |
| 0:39.9 | They're round, they're black, they keep you on the track. Not just a good driver and commentator, |
| 0:45.4 | young Jolian Palmer, is he? Tires are so important in F1. The temperature and condition of a driver's |
| 0:51.6 | tyre have a huge influence on how they drive. |
| 0:54.9 | Teams take so much care of them, wrapping them in blankets to keep them warm, |
| 0:59.3 | scrubbing and washing them to keep them clean, as if they were round rubber poppies, possibly. |
| 1:05.9 | Anyway, hello, I'm Christian Hugel, and those are words I never thought I'd say on an official F1 podcast. |
| 1:12.4 | We take the questions that you send to F1 Explains at F1.com and find an expert to answer them. |
| 1:18.8 | And this week, we're talking tyres with Pirelli. |
| 1:21.5 | It's your guide to why they're important and what's changed for this season. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Formula 1, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Formula 1 and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.