Pirelli is targeting a measured increase in tire degradation for the 2027 Formula 1 season, with early testing indicating a rise of approximately 10% to 20% compared with current levels. The Italian manufacturer says the objective is to give teams a wider range of race strategies rather than simply forcing drivers to make more pit stops.
Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra explained that the development programme has focused on changing the tire structure to generate more heat and thermal degradation. His comments, reported in coverage by Grandprix.com and Motorsport Nextgen-Auto, point to a technical effort aimed at making tire performance fall away more noticeably over a race stint.
Why Pirelli Wants More Degradation
The move follows a 2026 season in which tire degradation has been relatively low at several events, allowing drivers to maintain strong pace over long stints and making one-stop strategies a common choice. When the tires retain performance for longer than expected, teams can often settle on a conservative strategy early in the race, reducing the number of meaningful tactical alternatives.
Pirelli is not presenting additional pit stops as an end in themselves. The broader ambition is to create a more competitive balance between different approaches: a team might choose to extend a stint and stop once, while a rival could push harder on fresher tires and make an additional stop. If both approaches offer comparable overall race times, strategy becomes a more significant part of the contest.
That distinction matters. A tire that degrades too little can make strategy predictable, but a tire that loses performance too quickly can force drivers into excessive conservation or make races dependent on unavoidable pit stops. Pirelli therefore faces the challenge of finding a middle ground that encourages strategic variety without undermining the ability to race at speed.
New Tire Structures Designed to Generate More Heat
Berra said Pirelli’s work has concentrated less on changing car balance or stability and more on increasing the rate at which tire performance declines. Engineers have assessed different structural solutions for the front tires and separate approaches for the rear axle, seeking to generate additional heat and therefore greater thermal degradation.
Thermal degradation occurs when heat generated during running reduces a tire’s ability to deliver consistent grip. It is different from physical wear, in which rubber is gradually removed from the tire surface. Both can influence performance, but Pirelli’s current development direction specifically emphasizes the thermal behaviour of the tire construction.
The distinction is important because the manufacturer is not simply trying to make the rubber disappear faster. It wants a more noticeable performance drop during a stint, potentially creating more decisions about when to pit, which compound to use and how aggressively a driver can attack. F1inGenerale’s October report also highlighted Pirelli’s parallel challenge of increasing degradation without bringing back excessive overheating or making tire management the dominant limitation.
What the 10% to 20% Increase Means
Berra cautioned that it is difficult to provide one precise figure because the effect varies according to circuit characteristics and the level of degradation already present. The tests have nevertheless indicated an increase generally in the range of 10% to 20%. He stressed that Pirelli was not seeking to double the current degradation level.
The percentage should not be interpreted as a guaranteed increase at every Grand Prix. Track surface, corner layout, temperatures, tire loads, weather and the compounds selected can all influence how a tire behaves. A circuit that already produces high degradation may respond differently from one where tires traditionally last for long periods.
Berra also noted that the test figures were obtained while teams were asked to push hard, with limited tire management. During a race weekend, teams will study the data and adapt their driving, setup and strategy. If drivers begin preserving their tires more carefully, the effective increase could fall from the initial 10%–20% range to around 5%, according to his explanation.
Real 2026 Cars Give Pirelli Better Development Data
Another important difference in the 2027 programme is the equipment used for testing. Berra said Pirelli has been able to work with actual cars from the 2026 season rather than relying on mule cars. That has given engineers a clearer picture of the loads and operating conditions the tires encounter on track.
That is a valuable improvement over the development process for the current generation of tires, when the 2026 cars were not yet available in their final form. Pirelli had to work with simulations and modified test machinery while teams were still developing their new cars. Testing with real machinery provides a more representative basis for evaluating how structural changes behave.
Recent development work has included a combined 400-lap test at Imola by Ferrari and Racing Bulls, according to SportsLife’s report on the 2027 programme. The work forms part of Pirelli’s broader effort to refine the next tire range as the technical characteristics of the cars continue to evolve.
Teams Could Neutralise Part of the Change
One of the biggest uncertainties is how quickly teams will adapt. Formula 1 engineers routinely use data, simulations and race strategy to reduce the impact of technical disadvantages. If the new tires initially degrade more quickly, teams may find ways to manage temperatures, reduce sliding and adjust setup to protect them.
That learning process could narrow the gap between the intended increase and the degradation actually seen during races. Berra’s estimate that the increase might fall to approximately 5% under more conservative driving illustrates the difficulty of designing a tire that continues to produce strategic variation after teams have studied it.
There is also no guarantee that higher degradation will automatically produce more overtaking. A driver may have a tire advantage but still struggle to pass if the circuit offers limited opportunities. Pit-lane time loss, traffic and the ability to overtake will remain important factors in deciding whether an extra stop is worthwhile.
What It Could Mean for the 2027 Championship
If Pirelli achieves its objective, the 2027 season could feature more races in which teams face a genuine choice between a longer, more conservative stint and a shorter, faster approach. That could increase the importance of tire preparation, driver feedback, pit-wall decisions and the ability to react when race conditions change.
It could also create different strategic opportunities between teammates. One driver might attack early and build a gap before stopping, while another could preserve the tires and attempt a longer first stint. Such differences would be meaningful only if both plans remain competitive, which is precisely the strategic window Pirelli wants to encourage.
However, the final result will depend on the complete 2027 tire specification and how it performs across a wide range of circuits. The FIA’s Formula 1 regulations provide the sporting framework, while Pirelli’s testing and compound selection will determine how the tires behave in practice. The manufacturer has not promised a fixed number of pit stops or a particular strategy at every event.
The central message from Berra is that Pirelli wants to make tire performance decline a little more noticeably, not turn every Grand Prix into a multi-stop contest. A 10%–20% increase in test conditions is a starting point, but teams’ ability to manage degradation could reduce the effect. Whether the changes deliver more varied racing will become clearer as the 2027 range is finalised and tested under competitive conditions.
Source note: This report draws on Simone Berra’s comments about Pirelli’s 2027 development programme and published technical coverage. The 10%–20% figure is a test estimate, not a guaranteed race-by-race increase.