How much is a Formula One tyre

Every component of a F1 car is engineered to perform at the highest level, and one critical yet often overlooked element is the tyre.

These mighty pieces of rubber play a huge role in the car’s performance, especially given the high-tech requirements of the sport. With prices that can surprise many, let’s take a closer look at how much a Formula 1 tyre really costs and why these tyres are so valuable.

How Much Does a Formula 1 Tyre Cost?

The cost of a single Formula 1 tyre is considerable: it ranges from $2,000 to $3,000 per tyre.
This price is reflective of a range of factors, including the advanced materials and precise engineering that go into crafting these tyres.
With a full set of tyres (four tyres) needed for each car and multiple sets used during every race weekend, the total tyre expense for each team totals up quickly.

Annual Tyre Expenses for Teams

Formula 1 teams use a large number of tyres throughout a season:

During a standard Grand Prix weekend, drivers are allocated 13 sets of slick (dry-weather) tyres, four sets of intermediate tyres, and three sets of full wet tyres—with an additional set of soft tyres reserved exclusively for drivers who advance to Q3 in qualifying

With  24 races in a season, a team might use over 3840 tyres per year.

This can result in annual tyre expenses of around ten million USD per team.

It’s important to note that teams don’t actually purchase the tyres. Instead, Pirelli, the official tyre supplier for Formula 1, provides tyres to all teams as part of its contract with the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile).

Why are F1 tyres so expensive?

The high price tag of F1 tyres isn’t random and is driven by a combination of factors:

Technology & advanced materials: Formula 1 tyres are built using cutting-edge materials and specially designed rubber compounds. The unique characteristics of an F1 car, including its extreme braking forces, cornering speeds, and heat generation, require tyres that can withstand intense conditions. Modern F1 tyres are made from a mixture of synthetic and natural rubber, with additional compounds designed to improve performance on different types of surfaces and weather conditions.

Heat resistance: Formula 1 tyres need to remain durable even when temperatures can exceed 130°C during a race. The materials used are critical to ensuring that optimal performance is maintained throughout the race.

Grip performance: The compounds used are engineered for maximum traction, providing the driver with the grip necessary to handle the extreme forces at play during high-speed corners.

Track-Specific designs Each tyre is not a simple off-the-shelf product. Tyres for F1 cars are designed with bespoke tread patterns and sidewall characteristics, tuned specifically for the unique demands of each race circuit. Whether it’s a high-speed track like Monza or a tricky street circuit like Monaco, the characteristics of the tyre change to ensure optimal performance.

Rigorous Manufacturing & Testing

Pirelli, the F1 tyre official supplier uses precision manufacturing processes to craft each tyre. Before being used in a race, every tyre undergoes extensive testing and quality control.

How do tyre strategies affect race outcomes?

Tyres are an integral part of Formula 1 race strategy. With the limited number of tyre sets available during a weekend, choosing the right tyre compound at the right time can be the difference between winning and losing.

Each compound is color-coded for quick identification:

• Soft: Red
• Medium: Yellow
• Hard: White
• Intermediate: Green
• Wet: Blue

Soft tyres: Provide the best grip but wear down much faster, so teams use them for qualifying or when a quick stint is needed. –
Medium Tyres: Provide good grip and last longer than the soft but not as much as the hard.
Hard tyres: Have more durability but sacrifice some performance, typically used when the team prioritizes endurance. –
Intermediate and wet tyres: Used for wet race conditions, showcasing an entirely different challenge for teams. This makes tyre management not just about acquiring high-quality products but also mastering the strategy that optimizes tyre usage throughout the race, further justifying their high cost and complexity.

A couple of interesting facts

Tyre Durability: On average, F1 tyres can wear out after just 100 to 130 kilometers of racing.

Fast Tire Changes: The fastest tyre change on record is an astonishing 1.82 seconds achieved by Red Bull Racing during the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix.

The Logistics Behind the Rubber

Tyres represent not only a performance challenge but also a logistical one. Given that races are held all over the world, teams must transport tyres under strictly controlled conditions to preserve their characteristics. Temperature-controlled storage, specialized transport vehicles, and even dedicated personnel are part of the global supply chain that ensures tyres arrive at the track in peak condition.

Tyres are the unsung heroes of F1 Racing

Formula 1 tyres may seem trivial compared to the engine or aerodynamics, but they sit at the heart of the performance formula. From their role in shaping race strategies to their unparalleled technical complexity, tyres are critical to every race outcome. Every time you watch an F1 race, consider the costs and the engineering efforts behind those small, but incredibly powerful, pieces of rubber. In 2025, these tyres represent an even greater level of craftsmanship, precision, and technology, contributing directly to one of the most exciting sports in the world.