Pirelli Reveals Main Issue with F1 Wet Weather Tires

According to Motorsport.com, Pirelli has identified the root cause of Formula 1 wet tire issues — loss of grip in corners proves to be a more significant challenge than aquaplaning.

Mario Isola, Pirelli’s head of motorsport, revealed a shift in wet tire development direction following detailed analysis of driver complaints. “We realized the issue was more related to cornering grip loss rather than aquaplaning,” he explained.

“When you develop tires to fight aquaplaning, you add more grooves. However, this means smaller tread blocks will move more, generating heat that causes wet tires to overheat — it sounds like a joke, but it’s true!” said Isola.

Pirelli has modified the tread pattern to reduce overheating issues with current construction and compounds. Testing is conducted at Fiorano and Paul Ricard circuits — though testing location limitations remain a challenge.

For 2026 regulations, Pirelli aims to improve the crossover point between intermediate and full wet tires. The company is also considering a completely different tread pattern to address the identified issues.