Pirelli Cuts Barcelona GP Tyre Pressures by 1 psi as 52C Heat Triggers Severe Degradation
Updated
Updated · The Race · Jun 13
Pirelli Cuts Barcelona GP Tyre Pressures by 1 psi as 52C Heat Triggers Severe Degradation
3 articles · Updated · The Race · Jun 13
Summary
Pirelli lowered Saturday’s minimum starting pressures to 25.0psi front and 24.0psi rear after Friday running showed tyres exceeding expected stabilized pressures at Barcelona.
52C track temperatures drove the worst degradation of the 2026 F1 season so far, with drivers reporting one-lap tyre life and heavy overheating on both axles.
Simone Berra said qualifying could become effectively one-shot because the soft and medium compounds are hard to cool and recover once carcass temperatures spike.
Race pace is pointing to a likely two-stop strategy, though Pirelli said a three-stop is possible because degradation is running at two to three tenths per lap and the undercut should be powerful.
All three compounds appear similarly usable over a stint, leaving teams without a clear preferred race tyre and opening the door to wider strategic variation on Sunday.