Pirelli confirms 2026 Singapore Grand Prix tyre compounds, with Sprint-era allocation of just 12 sets

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Pirelli has confirmed the tyre compounds selected for the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix weekend, with the three softest options of the range brought to Marina Bay Circuit for Round 17. The compounds are C3 as the hard tyre, C4 as the medium tyre and C5 as the soft tyre, matching the same range used for last year’s event.

Singapore’s weekend format adds a strategic layer because the Sprint will be held there for the first time. Pirelli said the Sprint means teams must handle tyre allocations differently, with only 12 sets available for the entire weekend rather than the usual 13. Under Sprint regulations, each driver receives two sets of the hard, four sets of the medium and six sets of the soft.

In addition to the slick allocations, Pirelli outlined the wet-weather tyre supply for the weekend: six sets of green intermediates and three sets of blue full wets per driver. The package reflects the circuit’s exposure to shifting conditions, which Pirelli noted can be influenced by Singapore’s equatorial climate and intermittent rainfall.

Pirelli’s technical preview also set out how Marina Bay is expected to affect tyre behaviour. The 4.940-kilometre track is characterised as a typical street circuit, with barriers close to the racing line and limited overtaking opportunities, while changes introduced in 2023 to the third sector have increased the number of high-speed sections and smoothed the lap compared with the past.

Pirelli said the surface roughness at Marina Bay is medium-to-high for a street circuit, with both macro- and micro-roughness. It added that no resurfacing work has been carried out, so track evolution is expected to be in line with last season, if not slightly higher, and that conditions can vary significantly from session to session.

The Italian supplier also highlighted the night-time context of the race, stating that track temperatures typically range between 30 and 35C. In those conditions, Pirelli said the tyres tend to operate within their working window without particular overheating concerns, and it does not expect especially high mechanical stress compared to other venues.

From a degradation and strategy perspective, Pirelli said the expected drop-off is mainly tied to the normal performance reduction of the rear axle during traction phases. Graining and wear were not expected to become limiting factors in race management. On that basis, Pirelli said Singapore is again likely to favour a one-stop strategy, while also noting that pit-lane time loss and the frequent possibility of neutralisations can shape race outcomes.

Pirelli also suggested the softer C5 could receive greater consideration on Sunday this year, pointing to its usage at Budapest, Monza and Baku, where it helped drivers maintain strong pace with limited degradation and delivered advantages in grip and confidence. Pirelli linked this to modern car behaviour, saying that newer-generation cars appear to make better use of the softer compounds thanks to aerodynamic load, temperature management and compound characteristics.

Finally, Pirelli indicated that the Sprint format itself could encourage more extensive use of the C5 over the weekend, including the possibility of the red-sidewalled tyre being used in Saturday’s Sprint. Pirelli said it would not be surprising to see the softest option used more frequently than in previous years, given both the allocation challenge and the circuit’s evolving nature.

For more information about Pirelli’s F1 tyres, visit pirelli.com.