F1 EXPLAINED: What does degradation mean?
With the 2025 F1 season slowly approaching its final leg, F1Technical's senior writer Balazs Szabo explains the difference between the two types of tyre degradation: overheating and thermal degradation.
Pirelli has been the sole tyre supplier in Formula One since 2011 following Bridgestone's decision to withdraw from the role at the end of the 2010 season.
The Italian manufacturer previously competed in Formula One from 1950 to 1958, 1981–1986 and 1989–1991. In addition to his role in Formula One as sole tyre supplier, Pirelli also supplies tyres for the FIA Formula 2 Championship, FIA Formula 3 Championship and F1 Academy, that form the feeder series to Formula One.
What does degradation mean?Explaining the two types of degradation, Pirelli revealed: "One that affects the tyre surface and the other that impacts the chemical bonding of the materials that make up the tread.
"The first, which we simply call overheating, is generated when the tyre surface slides excessively on the track. In this case, the surface temperature increases and the tyre loses grip. The phenomenon can be reversed by a change of driving style or if the weather conditions change."
As for thermal degradation, that occurs when the amount of energy exerted on the tyre is high enough to generate heat capable of altering the chemical bonds of the tread and in this case, the loss of grip is irreversible.
However, these two phenomena are not entirely independent of one another. Both types of degradation lead to a loss of tyre performance and if a driver sees his is greater than that experienced by other drivers close by, then it might be time to change tyres for a new or part-worn set.
The original set has come to the end of its performance life in terms of how many laps it can run before it should be changed as the tyres can no longer deliver a competitive level of performance.
Tyre engineers also use the expression of "wear life" which is the maximum number of laps that a tyre can cover before the tread surface has completely worn away.
