Pirelli selects C2–C4 tyres for 2026 United States GP

Pirelli has selected C2, C3 and C4 as the hard, medium and soft compounds, respectively, for the 2026 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin. The supplier says the C2 could favour long stints in what is likely to be a one-stop race, although the high temperatures typical of Texas could increase degradation and bring alternative strategies into play.

The 2026 weekend uses the standard Grand Prix format, unlike the 2025 Austin event, which was a Sprint weekend and used the non-consecutive C1, C3 and C4 compounds. Each driver will have two sets of C2, three of C3 and eight of C4, plus intermediates and full wets if needed.

Drivers who reach Q3 will receive an extra set of softs. If the track is dry, each driver must use at least two different slick compounds during the race.

Pirelli says the fast corners and direction changes in the first sector put particular stress on the front tyres. In sector three, acceleration out of slow corners tends to generate thermal degradation mainly on the rear tyres.

Tyre wear, rather than graining, could be one of the weekend's key factors, Pirelli says. Although the asphalt is not particularly abrasive, the ageing effect on the rest of the circuit contributes to high wear. A section between Turns 9 and 11 was resurfaced earlier this year. Several tyres reached very high wear values at the 2025 event.