Tyre and strategy insight
Pirelli will bring the C2 as the hard, C3 as the medium and C4 as the soft compound for the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, a selection that has remained unchanged since the Shanghai International Circuit returned to the F1 calendar in 2024.
The fact that it is a Sprint weekend also means that the slick tyre allocation changes a little; each driver still receives two sets of hard tyres, but they receive four medium sets rather than three and six softs instead of eight, bringing the total to 12 sets rather than the standard 13. The number of wet-weather tyres remains the same.
Pirelli’s weekend preview says of the track’s characteristics: “Some corners are very fast, such as the S section formed by Turns 7 and 8, while others are much slower, like the combinations of Turns 1 and 3, 6, and 14. These sequences, combined with the high‑speed sections, make the track demanding on tyres and pose a challenge for energy recovery with the new power units.
“It will be interesting to see whether drivers can avoid the frequent corner‑entry lock‑ups seen at the Sakhir circuit during pre‑season testing, where some heavy braking zones were similar to those in China.
“The Shanghai track was completely resurfaced in August 2024. The new asphalt significantly increased grip, consequently reducing lap times. However, the smoother surface generated graining in 2025, particularly on the front axle, which became a limiting factor that year, especially during the Sprint. The phenomenon, however, diminished in intensity on Sunday thanks to track evolution.
“One year later, the circuit should be slightly more aged and, although still smoother than most others, grip levels may be lower, as should the likelihood of experiencing graining on the tyre sets. This hypothesis can already be assessed in the opening track sessions.”
