Pirelli set to debut its brand-new C6 compound at Imola

Formula One's sole tyre manufacturer Pirelli has revealed that it will debut its brand-new comound, the C6 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, introducing its softest compound of its 2025 tyre range.

Pirelli has confirmed the slick tyre compound choices for the sixth and seventh rounds of the season, which take place in Miami from 2 to 4 May and Imola from 16 to 18 May. The most significant change for both these events is that the trio of compounds is a step softer than last year.

For the first of this year’s three Grands Prix to be held in the USA, the selection is the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft, the same choice as in Melbourne and Jeddah.

The first European round will then see the introduction of the new-for-2025 C6, the softest of all the compounds in this year’s range. The C6 rubber will feature the red bands and the Pirelli logo, and will join the C5 as Medium and the C4 as Hard.

Explaining the tyre selections, Pirelli's motorsport director Mario Isola commented: “When we began planning the production and shipment of tyres for the first few races, we aimed to run all the compounds in the new range during the early part of the season, as they feature circuits with very different characteristics.

“This would help us gather as much useful data as possible as quickly as possible to inform our selections for the second half of the year. For 2025, we have a wider range of options compared to last year: there is more effective spacing between the various compounds in terms of performance and, overall, they seem to be less prone to both tread surface overheating and graining.

"This also allows us to experiment with new solutions, making choices that can lead to a variety of valid strategies, both in terms of tyre usage and number of pit stops.”

In Miami and Imola last year, the most common strategy was a one-stop. The softer compounds should lead to a wider variety of strategies at both locations.

“We are well aware that teams and drivers have become very adept at managing and looking after their tyres to get the best possible race result, and that the drivers always want to push to the limit to experience the thrills that only a Formula 1 car can offer,” Isola continued.

“We had further confirmation of this in Suzuka, where, even in a race that wasn’t particularly exciting in terms of on-track action, everyone said they were pleased to be able to continually get their lap times down right to the end of each stint.

"However, we must balance this with the shared desire among all key stakeholders in our sport to create the conditions for unpredictable and spectacular races. Tyres and their behaviour are an important part of that picture and as a partner of Formula 1, we want to be proactive in this regard.”