Pirelli has confirmed the compounds that will be used at the Canadian Grand Prix of Formula 1, which also marks the first time Montreal hosts a Sprint event in its history. Not only that, the supplier warned that the rain forecast could directly influence the strategies for the main race on Sunday, the 24th.
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The Italian supplier will bring the three softest compounds from its range, repeating the selection used at the Miami GP in early May. The C3 will be the hard, the C4 the medium, and the C5 the soft. And because it is a Sprint weekend, teams will have only 12 sets of tires available, one less than in the traditional format.
Each driver will have two sets of hards, four mediums, and six softs, as well as six sets of intermediates and three of extreme wet. According to Pirelli, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve should show rapid evolution throughout the weekend.
“The asphalt, resurfaced in 2024, is smooth and not very abrasive. Since the circuit is used practically only during the Formula 1 weekend, the track evolves very quickly, both over the three days and within each session,” the manufacturer highlighted.
The company also recalled that graining affected the tires throughout the weekend in 2025, although it expects a better scenario this time. “With the new tires, this phenomenon should be more limited and may even disappear after Friday,” it explained.
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Another point highlighted was the “stop-and-go” style of the Canadian circuit, which demands strong stability under braking and good traction on corner exits. Even though it is practically a street circuit, Pirelli believes that overtaking will continue to be one of the track’s strong points, especially on the straight before the final chicane, near the famous Wall of Champions.
Regarding the weather, the forecast indicates dry weather and low temperatures on Friday and Saturday, but rain and stronger winds may appear on Sunday. Pirelli believes this could mainly make it difficult to achieve the ideal tire warm-up in qualifying.
For strategies, the supplier sees the Softs as favorites for Saturday’s Sprint, thanks to their quick warm-up and greater grip in fast laps. For the GP, the expectation is for a more conservative approach, with a tendency for a one-stop race using the Medium and Hard compounds.
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