Pirelli has confirmed the tyre compounds for the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace. The selection moves one step softer than last season, with the C3 designated as the hard tyre, the C4 as the medium and the C5 as the soft.
Each driver will receive two sets of hard tyres, three sets of mediums and eight sets of softs. Intermediate and full wet tyres will also be available if conditions require them. Drivers who reach Q3 will have an additional set of softs, and, if the race is dry, must use at least two different slick compounds.
The circuit has had resurfacing work between Turns 3 and 5 and between Turns 8 and 9. Pirelli says the new surfaces could affect grip, track evolution and tyre behaviour over longer runs. The three practice sessions will give teams an opportunity to assess how the track changes and how the surface affects tyre wear and degradation.
Pirelli noted that degradation was a major consideration at last year’s event. The C2 hard showed some tendency to slide, while the C3 and C4 degraded significantly, though they still supported competitive stints. A two-stop strategy proved the most effective.
Interlagos combines high-speed corners with long straights and offers several overtaking opportunities. Pirelli says tyre loads are broadly average and distributed fairly evenly between the front and rear axles, while managing degradation remains important to race performance. Rain and substantial temperature changes can also affect the event, potentially bringing intermediate or full wet tyres into use.
Sources: Formula 1.